New Jinja land boss defies minister Amongi’s directive
Mr David Musenze (L), Minister. Ms Betty Amongi (R)
What you need to know:
Defying. Mr David Musenze says no procedure was breached during his appointment.
The newly sworn-in Jinja District Land Board chairman, Mr David Musenze, has defied a directive by the Lands minister, Ms Betty Amongi, to vacate the seat over alleged irregularities in his appointment.
Ms Amongi on December 2 wrote to the Jinja District chairman, Mr Titus Kisambira, instructing him to overturn Mr Musenze’s appointment on grounds that he was sworn-in before she approved him.
She accordingly asked Mr Musenze to vacate the office and stop presiding over matters of land in Jinja.
During a meeting at the Jinja District chairman’s home in Butagaya Sub-county on Wednesday, Mr Musenze said no procedure was breached during his appointment.
“The law requires that the District Council can solely preside over matters of appointment of the chairperson of the Land Board. Chapter 243 of Section 17 of the Local Government Act gives powers to District Councils to approve the Land Board Committee without involvement of the line minister. Therefore, the directive of the minister is out of order,” Mr Musenze said.
He added that he has not received the said letter from the minister although the district chairman confirmed receiving it.
“I am going on with my work and signing files for people processing land tittles, especially those from Mafubira Sub-county and Bugembe Town Council,” he said.
Mr Kisambira said he took extra care when choosing Mr Musenze and that there is nobody who can block his services. He vowed to keep him in office.
This came after an attempt by a section of Jinja District councillors to stop Mr Musenze’s approval as District Land Board Chairman on grounds that he was a member of the old Land Board that was accused of forging the signature of its chairperson, Ms Innocent Ngobi Ndiko.
Mr Musenze’s appointment was to replace Ms Ndiko, who resigned after being implicated in the dubious give-away of Plot 24 on Kyabazinga Way to an Indian investor.
Ms Ndiko, who appeared before Justice Catherine Bamugemereire-led land commission, denied owning the signature that was appended on documents processing land tittle for the controversial plot.
