ISO yields to Anite, withdraws from factory land

The Internal Security Organisation (ISO) has withdrawn its officers from a piece of land in Namanve Industrial Park, paving way for the construction of the ($15m) Shs55b shoe and leather tanning factory.
This development was yesterday confirmed by Mr Hamza Galiwango, the director of lands at the Uganda Investment Authority.
“Officers were withdrawn from the site and in the morning, we did not find them there. The investor has taken possession of the site and has started site clearance and backfilling,” Mr Galiwango said. “We are glad that this impasse was resolved,” he added.
On Monday, this newspaper reported that ISO had blocked Landy Industries Limited, a Chinese firm, from constructing a factory on block 113, Plot 1012 in Namanve Industrial Park.
Ms Evelyn Anite, the Investment minister, accused the ISO director general, Col Kaka Bagyenda, of blocking the investor from constructing the factory.
Last Friday, Ms Anite made an impromptu visit to the site and was shocked to find soldiers guarding the land. Sources have revealed that after Ms Anite’s visit to the site, President Museveni met her and Col Bagyenda, and directed ISO to vacate the land.
The army spokesperson, Brig Richard Karemire, declined to comment on the matter, saying the accused officers were attached to ISO. “You found that those soldiers were from ISO, so call them please,” he said.
Our efforts to reach Ms Anite for a comment were futile as her known cellular phone numbers were switched off by press time.