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Kampala University, Masaka officials in land ownership row
Kampala University Vice Chancellor Prof Badru Kateregga (2nd right), and his wife Jolly Shubaiha (right), arrive at the Masaka campus during the cultural gala day celebrations in April. PHOTO BY IVAN KIMBOWA
Masaka-The controversy surrounding ownership of land housing Kampala University Masaka campus has taken a new twist with Masaka Municipal authorities placing a caveat on the land.
According to Masaka Municipality Town Clerk, Mr Paul Omoko, they took a decision to slap a caveat on the disputed land because the proprietor of Kampala University is claiming to have acquired a land title yet he is simply renting the premises.
“Our council was surprised to learn that Kampala University had acquired the land from the former district land board yet they are just tenants,” he said during an interview on December 29.
“We have taken some steps to stop Kampala University from doing any further transaction and developments on that piece of land as we take further steps of repossessing our land,” he added.
In 2015, Masaka Municipal Council hastily passed a resolution sanctioning the giveaway of Red Banner Estate which houses Kampala University Masaka campus and the adjacent forest reserve after their allowances were withheld for several months although some councillors objected to the deal.
However, a section of councillors now say the municipal council should not only stop at putting a caveat on the land, but also consider evicting the university from council land.
Mr Dan Mulondo, a councillor representing Kyabakuza Parish, suggested that the municipal council puts up a committee to expedite the process of repossessing their property.
“We should not just sit back and watch as the university proprietor takes over council property,” he said.
Mr Robert Kambugu, a councillor representing Nyendo Ward and also a member of the works committee, said Kampala University owes the council more than Shs60 million in rent arrears for more than three years.
“The process of demanding payment for that money [rent arrears] should be expedited because we need it to do developmental projects in the municipality,” he said.
Mr Omoko, however, said a committee is already in place to ensure that all council properties that were encroached on and those fraudulently allocated to developers be listed and legal procedures taken to repossess all of them.
According to records at Kimaanya /Kyabakuza Division Council, Kampala University is supposed to pay at least Shs8 million as rent fees annually.
However, the vice chancellor and proprietor Kampala University, Pro Badru Kateregga said he is not aware that municipal council has placed a caveat on the land title acquired by the university.
He said he passed through the right channels to acquire the land on which the university campus is located and insists he is the rightful owner of the disputed land.
“Those people [municipal council officials] don’t know what they are talking about, I am going to consult my lawyers to see what to do,” he said.
During a recent interview, Mr Kateregga said the university has already purchased land housing the Masaka campus at new Kumbu, a Masaka Town suburb. The university also owns another piece of land in Masaka Town where they plan to construct new structures.
