MPs to question Ssekandi  over Asians property in Masaka

Vice President Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi. 


MASAKA-  Vice President Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi, Entebbe deputy Resident District Commissioner Mr  Nooh Njuki Mbabaali and 70 other property owners have been summoned  by the Parliamentary Committee on  Commissions, Statutory Authority and State Enterprises  (Cosase ) to provide proof of  ownership of prime properties in Masaka City .

The property owners are those currently managing some   of the properties left behind by Asians who were expelled from Uganda by former President Idi Amin in August 1972.

According to a circular   pinned on a Masaka City Council Hall notice board ,the  property owners are supposed to appear before the committee on Friday.

 “This is a notice and an invitation to registered owners and those in possession of plots of land listed below to attend a parliamentary accountability committee scheduled to take place on Friday starting at exactly 9am at Kijjabwemi Masaka District Recreational Centre,” a circular signed by Masaka District Land Board secretary, Mr Bob Asiimwe, reads in part.

According to ,Mr  Asiimwe those summoned must  come with proof of land ownership, (land title, land purchase agreement, etc), certificate of repossession, certificate of purchase, freehold or leasehold offer, from Masaka District Land Board, and an allocation letter from the Custodian Board if any.

Other key property   owners to appear before the committee include Masaka businessmen; Mr Batisata Walugembe, Mr Abubakar Makumbi , Mr William Ddumba ,Mr Haruna Mutongole , Mr Richard Kimera, and Hajjat Sarah Kiyimba, the proprietor Brovad Hotel Ltd, among others.

Some of the disputed properties are located on Elgin Street, Horbert Street, Grant Street, Edward Avenue , Victoria Road,  Mawogola Street and Mutuba Gardens among other locations  in Masaka City.

Efforts to speak to Mr Ssekandi was futile as he could not answer repeated phone calls to his known telephone numbers.

But Mr  Mbabaali said he has been summoned to appear before the committee, but he will not show up.

 “I legally acquired the property from Departed Asian Property Custodian Board (DAPCB) and the running lease expired and I renewed it. Let members of Cosase settle those issues with the Custodian Board,” he said.

DAPCB is an agency charged with the responsibility to manage all assets left behind by   over 50,000 Asians.

Last week, a section of Ugandans of Asian origin expressed fear that the current Parliament probe into the management and status of the property is likely to result into a second expulsion.

Through their grouping Association of Expropriated Properties Owners’ Limited, the property owners said the current probe is “targeting individuals” instead of handling the real problem with expropriated properties.

 A special audit conducted by Auditor General, John Muwanga in 2009 revealed that some properties of DAPCB had been illegally disposed of under the influence of big shots in government.

By the time the audit was carried out, the AG discovered that out of the 8,965 Asian properties, 4,063 were repossessed, 1,676 were sold and 3,226 remained unsold.