Namboole land: ULC subdivided land into five plots

Kampala. Mandela National Stadium Namboole’s 120 acres of land were subdivided into five plots, the committee investigating land matters was told on Tuesday.

The acting commissioner of surveys and mapping, Mr Wilson Ogalo Ebunyu, while testifying before the land probe, said the land was subdivided by Uganda Land Commission (ULC).

“Plot 3,391 was subdivided into Plot 6,086 (12.641 hectares) that was given to Pioneer Easy Bus Ltd and created a residual of Plot 6,087 (34.89 hectares). Plot 6,087 was also subdivided into plots 6,152, 6,153 and 6,154 that are registered by Uganda Land Commission,” Mr Ogalo testified.

When asked by the commission’s deputy Lead Counsel, Mr John Bosco Suuza, why Namboole stadium land had been subdivided, Mr Ogalo said he did not know.

The management of Mandela National Stadium last week petitioned the commission to compel UCL to give them a land title.
The managing director, Mr Jamil Ssewanyana, also wants the land probe to help them get rid of encroachers. The stadium management plans to build an Olympic-size swimming pool and a gymnasium to promote sports.

The acting secretary of UCL, Mr Robert Nyombi, testified before the land probe on the giveaway of Namboole stadium land but had a difficult time explaining how the UCL created Plot 6,086 measuring 31 acres and gave it to Pioneer Easy Bus Ltd. The bus company that has a five-year lease on the land.

“The meeting that confirmed the minutes that gave away the land was my first meeting at the commission,” Mr Nyombi said, defending himself against any wrongdoing in the give-away. He said this was the work of the commission’s board.

Mr Nyombi reasoned that though the lease was inconsistent with the user, transportation was an auxiliary service to the stadium. When pressed hard on the giveaway, Mr Nyombi later said he was in a situation where he could not comment about certain things and he asked to speak to the land probe in camera.

“The 66 land titles that government received in Namboole were not cancelled and amalgamated and that is why we are having all these problems,” Mr Nyombi said.

The acting secretary said the two families of Ms Norah Nabagesera and Thomas Bazitya had been paid and they surrendered their original titles to government as a pre-condition for the payment. “That is why they have special titles and none of them has an original title,” Mr Nyombi said.

Ms Nabagesera and the late James Nsubuga Kitakka are joint administrators of the estate of the late Crespo Kitakka.
Mr Nyombi pledged to follow up and ensure the special titles issued on the land are cancelled.

The land probe team was surprised to learn that though the land had been amalgamated, the same was not reflected on the cadastral maps (show land use) in the department of survey and mapping.

The Wakiso District staff surveyor, Dr Joseph Batume, who also appeared before Justice Bamugemereire, promised to work with the commissioner of land registration in the Ministry of Lands to have the amalgamated land reflected on the cadastral maps at Wakiso.
The Land probe is continuing with investigations into encroachment on land at Namboole.

1965 AGREEMENT
Purchase of land. Government purchased 120 acres of land from individuals at Namboole to construct a stadium, which was part of a 1965 bilateral agreement where China pledged to build a rice scheme in Kibimba and an ice plant in Bugolobi. The stadium is currently utilising 60 acreas while another 60 acres are in the hands of encroachers.

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