Otafiire, Kavuma named among owners on government land

Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Kahinda Otafiire. FILE PHOTO

What you need to know:

  • However, ownership of the land is being contested between Ham Mukasa’s family and the family of the late Enock Sebowa. Government has been paying ground rent to Ham Mukasa’s family through Njeru Municipal Council.
  • However, Mr Kulaigye insists he bought the land from the late Fredrick Kato Lukwajju at Shs30m per acre and he has a land title. The late Lukwajju was the head of the Lukwajju lineage in Njeru to which the late Sebowa, who allegedly owned this land, belonged.

Kampala. Former Deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma and current Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Kahinda Otafiire have been named among people who have encroached on government’s Njeru Stock Farm land in Buikwe District.

Mr Stephen Kulaigye, a resident of Njeru Municipal Council and Mr Rajab Senfuka Kasule of Bweyogerere, while appearing before the Commission of Inquiry into Land Matters chaired by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire on Monday, revealed that Justice Kavuma and Maj Gen Otafiire own land that belonged to Njeru Stock Farm.

“My lord justice Kavuma has land next to mine,” Mr Kulaigye told the Commission. Mr Kulaigye’s claim was backed by Mr Kasule, a land dealer.
“Kavuma has 42 acres of land on Plot 287 and Kahinda has 50 acres on Plot 280 and another 50 acres on Plot 283,” said Mr Kasule.

Mr Kasule owns 50 acres on the same land. It was not readily established whether Kasule’s and Kulaigye’s claims were authentic. According to Mr Kasule, two other people; Livingstone Lukambwe and Faisal Musiige own 30 acres and 12 acres of land respectively on the same government farm.

The Commission is currently investigating how private individuals acquired land on the government demonstration farm. Ham Mukasa leased Njeru Stock Farm land measuring 1099 acres to the colonial government for 99 years.

However, ownership of the land is being contested between Ham Mukasa’s family and the family of the late Enock Sebowa. Government has been paying ground rent to Ham Mukasa’s family through Njeru Municipal Council.

However, Mr Kulaigye insists he bought the land from the late Fredrick Kato Lukwajju at Shs30m per acre and he has a land title. The late Lukwajju was the head of the Lukwajju lineage in Njeru to which the late Sebowa, who allegedly owned this land, belonged.

The land was taken over by Mr Lukwajju, the head of the Lukwajju family after Mr Sebowa’s death.
The Commission’s assistant Lead Council, Mr Andrew Odiit, rejected the claim that Mr Kulaigye and Mr Kasule had bought the land because they failed to show their purchase agreements. Justice Bamugemereire directed the duo to produce purchase agreements for the land.

THE RED FLAG
In September, the Executive Director of National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank (NAGRIC) Dr Charles Lagu told the Commission that Njeru Stock Farm was on the brink of losing 504 acres to private encroachers. He said the stock farm was only left with 562 acres and called on the Commission to investigate these encroachers on the land.