Ministers give away more Namulonge land

Kampala. Three Cabinet ministers directed that an additional 2,500 acres, part of the disputed public land at Namulonge, be allocated to another investor in town for his tomato project, Daily Monitor has established.
The land is part of the 3,300 acres owned by the National Crop Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI), an affiliate of the National Agriculture Research Organisation (NARO).
The land in question (Block 158 Plot 9) in Namulonge, Wakiso District, was given to a private company, Foods and Livestock (Africa), for a large scale investment in a tomato production and tomato processing plant as well as other related products.

Plot 651 of Namulonge land (about 900 acres) had also been given to property mogul Sudhir Ruparelia’s company, Premier Roses Ltd, on the instructions of President Museveni for flower growing and fruit processing.
This matter is still under discussion by an inter-ministerial committee chaired by Lands accounting officer Gabindadde Musoke.
Although sources say President Museveni sanctioned Foods and Livestock (Africa) when NARO wrote to Uganda Land Commission on July 11, 2013, protesting the deal, authorities at the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) reminded them about the government policy on investment and supporting of the local entrepreneurs.

Quoting directives from Lands minister Daudi Migereko, then Finance minister [Maria Kiwanuka ] and Agriculture minister, Tress Bucyanayandi, former ULC Joash Mayanja Ngangi reminded NARO that “Section 53 (C) of the Land Act authorises the commission to lease, and deal with land under its authority as it may deem fit”.

“Your view that the Commission does not have authority to lease out this land is not in conformity with the law...I am of the opinion that as government, NARO and the Commission can both promote projects for national agricultural development, whether by research or direct projects investment for production,” the letter to NARO reads in part.

When contacted on Sunday, Mr Migereko said: “Those guys applied for land and I sent their application to ULC for consideration. It’s up to the Commission to sit and decide”.
However, it’s not clear whether Mr Migereko briefed Cabinet about this deal.

Asked why Foods and Livestock (Africa) company signed a form of partnership with NARO to ensure that their interests are catered for before forwarding the application to ULC, Mr Migereko said: “We are going to review everything. We want to ensure that some land is reserved for NARO to continue with their mandate because there are certain activities that the private sector cannot take.”
Although Dr Ambrose Agona, the director general of NARO, said he only knows Mr Ruparelia’s Premier Roses and nothing about Foods and Livestock (Africa) Company and its dealings on Namulonge land, the former NARO boss, the late Dr Emily K Twinamasiko, then said NaCRRI was using the plot for research on cereals, cassava, legumes and horticulture crops.

Though Mr Bucyanayandi was not available for a comment, when contacted to explain why ministers cleared the deal, the State minister for Agriculture, Mr Vincent Ssempijja, said: “It’s a deliberate government policy to attract investment to create jobs for Ugandans. There is no conflict and we are not targeting Namulonge land. But if need arises, we can even transfer the institute to another location to pave way for development.”

He added: “Namulonge is government land and whatever decision we take must be in public interest. Things are changing and people should know that Namulonge is not the only research institute we have as a country.”
Defending President Museveni’s decision to give away Namulonge land, Mr Ssempijja said: “In other countries, investors are given free land because they are creating jobs and paying taxes.”
Explaining why the former Finance minister backed the deal, the ministry spokesperson, Mr Jim Mugunga, said ULC is an autonomous entity outside the control of Ms Kiwanuka or any other minister.

Investor speaks
Asked about the progress of the tomato project, the proprietor of Foods and Livestock (Africa), Hajji Mohammed Magid Bagalaaliwo told Daily Monitor last Thursday that something he did not understand happened to the project and insisted that he was still interested in the land although he felt frustrated. “I was going to set up a tomato project, but I don’t understand what happened,” Hajj Bagalaaliwo said.

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