Nantaba to Museveni: My life is in danger

Internal thieves. Junior Lands minister tells President that most of the alleged land title thieves are found in her ministry.

It was a done deal. The lands docket was reserved for her - and no one else. And should Parliament have failed to approve Ms Ida Nantaba as the State Minister for Lands, there would have been a storm, President Museveni said on Monday.

Speaking in Wakiso District, where he had gone to sort out land matters on the invitation of Ms Nantaba, the President said he identified the “young minister” while on his numerous visits in Kayunga and by then she had already established her crusade against land grabbers.

He said: “I identified this young person (Ms Nantaba) in Kayunga when she was fighting against people being evicted.”

The President continued: “I then proposed her (to become a minister) but she was fought. However, I also stood by her because her issue would have caused problem in Parliament.

“I was not going to compromise because I couldn’t see why she couldn’t be approved. And now I want to thank her for her good work.”

According to the President, Ms Nantaba and the Wakiso Woman MP, Ms Rosemary Seninde, have so far done a good job in keeping him abreast with information relating to land wrangles and evictions.

However, according to Ms Nantaba, presiding over the docket has since courted her more trouble than she had anticipated
“Mr President, my life is now in danger,” she said.

She continued: “If you had given me a choice I wouldn’t have chosen Lands docket because it has caused me much pain and tears…I have never had peace since becoming a minister. Out of 100 people who come to our offices, 90 of them say their land titles have gotten lost right where I work—in the Lands Ministry.”

Ms Seninde said eviction and land grabbing are the order of the day in Wakiso with several cases of people being given only 30 minutes to leave their “bibanjas.”

“Most of these people are being evicted with the help of the army and the police,” said Ms Seninde.

iladu@ug.nationmedia.com