Soroti town clerk asks govt to approve sale of golf club land
Part of the Soroti Golf Club land. PHOTO/FILE/SIMON PETER EMWAMU
What you need to know:
- On July 5, the chief government valuer had declined to grant a request by the town council authorities, calling for valuation of another piece of land comprised on Harridas and Jumabhai roads, where cricket and tennis courts are based.
The Soroti City town clerk has written to the government chief valuer, asking him to approve the sale of the contested golf club land to a private developer amid protests from some leaders.
In an August 15 letter, the town clerk, Mr Daniel Christopher Kawesi, requests the chief government valuer, Mr Tonny Kato Magembe, to ascertain the proper value of the land before they sub-lease it for recreational activities.
“In order to sublease with the developers, it is necessary that council establishes the right value of the land so as to levy the appropriate ground rent and premium respectively,” Mr Kawesi wrote.
“The purpose of the letter is to request your office to undertake a valuation of land on Plot 10-12 along Kennedy square to guide further decisions to that effect,” he added.
This comes after Soroti City Council on August 9 resolved that the contested Soroti golf club land be leased to Mr David Calvin Echodu, a private developer, to the disappointment of the registered trustees of the land, who have a land title and sublease running for 99 years.
However, it remains to be seen if the chief government valuer will approve the request.
On July 5, the chief government valuer had declined to grant a request by the town council authorities, calling for valuation of another piece of land comprised on Harridas and Jumabhai roads, where cricket and tennis courts are based.
On April 17, the Soroti City town clerk had requested the government chief valuer to value the land and properties on Harridas and Jumbhai roads to enable change of ownership from leasehold to freehold.
But Mr Magembe declined to value the said properties, citing flaws in the process.
Soroti City Council’s decision to hand over the golf club land to the developer, Mr David Calvin Echodu, comes after he threatened to drag them to court for breach of contract and malicious damage on his property that he was erecting on the contested land.
On June 16, Soroti City Council, using bulldozers, demolished a structure that was being raised on the land, prompting Mr Echodu to issue a letter, threatening to sue them over malicious damage to his property.
In a twist of events, on August 9, during a council meeting, a section of Soroti City councillors resolved to hand over the golf land to Mr Echodu amid protests from others who claimed it was fraudulently executed after money exchanged hands.
The mayor for Soroti City East Division, Mr Paul Omer, has also written to executive director of National Physical Planning Board, protesting the manner in which the land was given away. Mr Omer said the land giveaway is a threat to sporting activities in Soroti City.
Request to govt valuer
“In order to sublease with the developers, it is necessary that council establishes the right value of the land so as to levy the appropriate ground rent and premium respectively,” Daniel Christopher Kawes, Soroti Town Clerk
