Lukwago, Tumwebaze disagree over new Kampala land board

Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago. PHOTO BY DOMINIC BUKENYA

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Ultimatum. Kampala Lord Mayor has given Kampala minister 14 days to overturn the decision of appointing a new Kampala District Land Board or he goes to court.

Kampala. Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has accused Kampala minister and minister for the Presidency Frank Tumwebaze of assuming powers he does not have under the law to appoint members of the Kampala District Land Board.
Mr Lukwago accuses Mr Tumwebaze of failure to follow the proper procedures of appointing the land board as enshrined in the Land Act. He has given Mr Tumwebaze 14 days to overturn the decision or the two battle it out in court.
“Mr Tumwebaze, who was convicted of disobeying a court order in Justice Lydia Mugambe’s ruling, is mastering the art of impunity. They created a trap and it has ensnared them. The Land Act is very clear on who is supposed to appoint the district land board,” Mr Lukwago said while addressing journalists at his private offices in Kampala last week. However, Mr Tumwebaze says he is working on the advice of the Attorney General (AG) to solve the impasse created by the expiry of the terms of members of the board.
“The minister sought advice from the AG on how to go about filling the vacant positions of KDLB after the term of some members expired and also given the inadequacies in the KCCA Act for lack of an express provision. The AG advised in a comprehensive opinion that the Minister of Kampala can exercise powers under the KCCA act to appoint members to the board after soliciting nominations of qualified people from division mayors and councilors. I did exactly that and all people who have been appointed have been nominated by division mayors on approval of their respective councils.”
Mr Tumwebaze instead advised “If Mr Lukwago or anybody has information against any of the board members, let them bring it up.”
Mr Lukwago’s lawyers, in a notice of intention to sue, observe that their client received with shock, information that Mr Tumwebaze arrogated himself powers, and appointed members of the Kampala District Land Board. “We believe you take cognisance of the relevant provisions of the Land Act, read together with Section 5(4) of the KCCA Act, which provisions unequivocally vest those powers in the Authority presided over by the Lord Mayor,” the lawyers stated.
Mr Lukwago has also appealed to the Kampala District Land Board chairman, Mr Yusuf Nsibambi, not to engage in what he described as illegalities and transgressions.