ISO boss drawn into Bobi Wine land saga

The Internal Security Organisation (ISO) director general, Col Kaka Bagyenda. FILE PHOTO

What you need to know:

  • Col Bagyenda said ISO was getting involved because of the experience of the Lusanja eviction.
  • The disputed land, measuring about 26 acres, is located on Block 213 Plots 20-78, while other plots are marked as 1979, 20186, and 1977.

The Internal Security Organisation (ISO) director general, Col Kaka Bagyenda, has stepped into the Kamwokya land saga involving Kyadondo East Member of Parliament, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, and 400 others, saying it has turned into a security matter.
Col Bagyenda, addressing journalists at his office on Friday, said the impending land eviction has become a political matter where some legislators are allegedly peddling threats to the land owners without following the law.

“We have seen some politicians involved in this matter on national TV calling for mob justice, sidelining the law. We are not going to be quiet on this matter…,” Col Bagyenda said.
M/s Pearl Hope Investments Limited, through a private law firm, Lubega, Matovu and Company advocates, on March 11, notified Bobi Wine and others in separate letters about the planned eviction.

Ownership. Mr David Ssenfuka, a businessman in Dubai, displays a title of the disputed land in Kamwokya, on March 22, 2019. PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA


At least 400 families in the ghetto zones of Mulimira, Kisenyi and Old Kira Road are under threat.

The disputed land, measuring about 26 acres, is located on Block 213 Plots 20-78, while other plots are marked as 1979, 20186, and 1977.
Bobi Wine is accused of buying the land from a one Gladys Nanyonga without the consent of the property owner.
Mr David Ssenfuka, a businessman in Dubai United Arab Emirates, one of the property owners says they bought the first part of the land, 21 acres, in 2003 from Mr Mpanga Walusimbi at about Shs296m ($80,000) and the second part, five acres, from someone he doesn’t remember.
Having realised that the squatters were not leaving the land, they registered the land under their company, together with his siblings, Ms Katarina Nanfuka and Jane Ssenfuka.

“ISO called me to come and give my side of the story. But only seven people officially bought the land, we want the rest of them off,” Mr Ssenfuka said.
Bobi Wine on Tuesday invited the residents to a meeting with the property owners on Sunday (today) to settle the matter.

Kyadondo East Member of Parliament, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine


Mr Ssenfuka put a condition that other squatters can buy the land they are occupying under ‘bibanja’ but Bobi Wine can only buy the whole 26 acres at about Shs92.5b ($25m).

“Others can buy but for Bobi Wine, we can’t accept him because he is a tress passer. Maybe if he buys the whole land,” he said.
Asked whether they have secured a court order to evict the 400 people from the land, Mr Ssenfuka said, “Do I need a court order and yet I am the owner of the land? They will have to leave and we shall be demolishing them any day, it is our secret as the landlords.”
Col Bagyenda said ISO was getting involved because of the experience of the Lusanja eviction.