MPs Okabe, Nandala clash over Mbale land
The Budadiri West County MP, Mr Nathan Nandala Mafabi (left), and his Serere counterpart, Mr Patrick Okabe (right), have clashed over a piece of land in Mbale Town with each claiming ownership. FILE PHOTOS
What you need to know:
- A senior lands officer at Mbale District Local government, who preferred anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the press, said Mr Okabe has a genuine land title.
The Budadiri West County MP, Mr Nathan Nandala Mafabi, and his Serere counterpart, Mr Patrick Okabe, have clashed over a piece of land in Mbale Town with each claiming ownership.
The disputed land is on Plot 5, Bumboi Road in Busamaga Ward, Wanale Division, Mbale Municipality.
The duo were reportedly involved in an argument at the disputed land at the weekend, prompting police intervention.
The legislators recorded a statement at Mbale Central Police Station.
Mr Nandala, who is also the secretary general for Forum for Democratic Change party, reportedly acting on a tip-off that Mr Okabe was fencing off the land, mobilised youth to block any activity on the contested land.
“That land belongs to me and I have all the documents. I wonder why Mr Okabe is trespassing on my land,” Mr Nandala told police.
He claimed he acquired the land in 1998, a position Mr Okabe refutes.
Mr Okabe claims he got the land from Mbale District land board and has a title for it.
“I got a lease in 2014, and I acquired a land title for it. It expired at some point and I had already applied for its renewal,” he said.
Mr Okabe also said he applied to have the land fenced off because he wanted to develop it.
“I applied to Mbale Municipal Council to give me permission to face the land. I got a letter from Town clerk permitting me to fence the land. When I got permission, I sent my workers to start fencing it. But when Mr Nandala heard that my workers were fencing the land, he went and start quarrelling with them, prompting me to go to police to report the matter,” he said.
Mr Okabe claimed some years back, Mr Nandala reportedly destroyed his crops on the land.
Mr Rogers Taitika, the Elgon Region police spokesperson, said: “We got information that the two MPs were clashing over the land and we immediately intervened because they wanted to fight. We have started investigating the rightful owners of the land in question.”
Mr Taitika advised the MPs to keep off the contested land, pending investigations to avoid bloodshed.
A senior lands officer at Mbale District Local government, who preferred anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the press, said Mr Okabe has a genuine land title.
