Police, Mbarara leaders lock horns over town land

Mbarara District and the Uganda Police Force are embroiled in a row over ownership of two acres of land in Kamukuzi Cell Kamukuzi Division, Mbarara Town.
The land is currently being used as police quarters and offices for Police Professional Standards Unit and Land Complaints Desk.
It was previously occupied by Local Administration Police (LAP) before such operations were transferred to central government under Uganda Police.

The district now wants to use the land for its Satellite City project but the police have described the move as unlawful and warned them against trespass.
A February 12 letter from police to the chief administrative officer, which was signed by Mr James Kushemererwa on behalf of the Inspector General of Police, indicates that the land is by law under Uganda Police being one of the properties they inherited from Local Administration Police (LAP).

“It has been brought to our attention that Mbarara District local council authorities are desirous of repossessing the land that was formerly occupied by Local Administration Police. This is to inform you that the position of the law is very clear on this matter.(Under) section 67 (c) of the Police Act, Cap 303 property used by the LAP under the local government Act shall on coming into force of this Act be transferred to Uganda Police Force. Until the law is amended and declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court you will be declared as trespasser. We hope this guidance will be useful for your subsequent activities…” the letter reads in part.

Debate
The matter came up for debate in the district council last Thursday.
The district leaders say police are acting with impunity because the land and houses belong to the local government.
“To me this is arrogance and impunity of the highest order. I was a deputy RDC here when this land was given to Local Administration Police by Mbarara District. Even the so called houses they are occupying were constructed by the district. How can police talk arrogantly like that,” says Mbarara Resident District Commissioner, Maj Martha Asiimwe.
The Mbarara District chairperson, Rtd Capt Tumusiime Bamuturaki, says whereas it is important to co-exist with police, they should, however, not claim ownership of the land where they are housed.
“When LAP transferred operations to central government, they were some laws made regarding the process but this did not mean taking over our land,” says Capt Bamuturaki.

Meetings
The deputy chief administrative officer, Mbarara Mr Fred Kalyesubila, says they have had two meetings with police and its legal team and they insist that central government took over LAP staff and property.
The district secretary for finance, Mr Basil Bataringaya, says its outright land grabbing for police to consider the land where they were housed in good faith now as theirs.

“The LAP was under Mbarara Local Government as a department, was occupying premises given to them by Mbarara local government, there is no way after being integrated with Uganda police that the land on which they were housed becomes theirs. This land still belongs to Mbarara and we cannot allow this grabbing,” says Mr Bataringaya.
Mr Asaph Muhangi, the Ndeija Sub-county councillor, says the police were using the law as a cover to grab the land.

The district speaker, Mr Balam Ndyamuhaki, says since police belongs to another Ministry (of Internal Affairs), they need Ministry of Local Government and Solicitor General for advice.
The Rwizi Region police spokesperson, Mr Samson Kasasira on Tuesday said: “The Police Act is very clear on this. When Uganda Police took over LAP, it took everything including staff, properties and land. We have met Mbarara District leaders several times over this matter... As police, we were engaging the headquarters.”

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