{UAH} Namulonge land was obtained through very clear channels
Namulonge land was obtained through very clear channels
Written by DR SUDHIR RUPARELIAOur attention has been drawn by selected articles in the local media and on different social media platforms, regarding an ongoing process, in which Premier Roses – a Ruparelia Group company – seeks to lease 900 acres of land (part of the 3,300 acres owned by government) in Namulonge, Wakiso district.
The articles have not fully delved into the process leading up to approval of our application – choosing to mainly focus on the presidential directive which was issued nearly after two years of extensive stakeholder engagements and scrutiny of our proposal. Worse still, there has been almost no mention of the significance of this project to the Ugandan economy.
I hereby wish to make a few clarifications. Premier Roses is Uganda's largest single grower and exporter of flowers. With 60 hectares of greenhouses that produce 13 million cut-rose stems per month, we control 35 per cent of the export market.
In pursuance of our expansion, in 2012, we developed a $100 million (Shs 360 billion) – four-year expansion plan, that needed between 1,000 and 1,500 acres of land.
After unsuccessfully trying to locate such amounts of commercially viable land from the private sector, on August 5, 2013, Premier Roses wrote to the minister of state for agriculture expressing our interest to lease and develop Plot No 9, Block 158 at Namulonge. This land comprised of the largely undeveloped and bushy part of Namulonge called Nakyesasa.
Total required land was 1,050 acres (425.5 hectares) – 400 acres for roses, 200 acres for vegetables (tomatoes, chilies, pepper and cucumber), 200 acres for fruits and 100 acres for growing herbs and spices. The remaining land would be used for storage facilities, a pack house, processing plant, offices, staff houses, a health center, laboratory, vocation training center, parking space, recreational facilities and a school for children of our staff.
The project would increase export earnings from an average $30m then to $120m a year in four years, and would also add an extra 7,000 jobs from 12,000 to 19,000 jobs.
Transparency and due processes followed: Following receipt of our application, the agriculture minister gave a "no objection" and wrote to the minister of state for investment at ministry of finance recommending us.
On October 1, 2013, we also wrote to the same minster reiterating our interest and commitment. Satisfied with our proposal, the state finance minister, in a mid-October "no objection" letter, wrote to the lands minister recommending that our application be considered, purely on its own merits. The lands minister wrote to the chairman of Uganda Land Commission asking them to evaluate and consider our proposal.
Six months later, the Uganda Land Commission approved a five-year lease term, extendable to full form – but only granted to us 900 acres. This was also on condition that we enter into an MoU with NARO on how to sustainably develop the project for the mutual benefit of both institutions.
In a April 14, 2014 letter to the agriculture minister and copied to the minister of lands, the NARO governing council chairman is on record saying that given the existing pressures from land grabbers, entering into an agreement with fewer private sector developers, on clear terms on which to utilize the land, was more preferable and would also help NARO realize revenue to fund their activities.
About 1,000 acres had already been irregularly grabbed by different developers in Namulonge township. Contrary to implied insinuations, all this time, nearly two years, the president was never involved; the project was approved purely on its merit.
However, following the April 2014 decision by Uganda Land Commission, the minister of lands, on June 27, 2014, wrote to the president seeking his guidance on the final decision.
The president, nine months later and after extensive consultations, on March 12, 2015, wrote to the minister of lands and ministry of agriculture asking that our application be given due consideration, but also reiterated the need for a strict MoU between us and NARO.
Subsequently, the minister of agriculture on June 23, 2015 wrote to NARO instructing them to work out an MoU with Premier Roses on this collaborative venture.
While we wait for the finalising and signing of this MoU, we wish to reiterate our commitment to this project. We have already secured the necessary resources to finance this development without any further delay.
We appreciate the role of research and development in agriculture but we also know that this must be matched with sufficient levels of production.
The Ruparelia Group is patiently committed to closing this process and developing this project in line with the laws of Uganda and in the mutual interest of NARO and the local communities of Namulonge.
Dr Sudhir Ruparelia is the chairman and founder for Ruparelia Group.
Comments
Your backers just passed a decree to donate that land to you and I am sure that you know that. You people have taken us Ugandans for a ride, why you all the time?
Yes, you have taken it but the truth always triumphs. That land belongs to Ugandans and always will. Tell your master, lets do a referendum and see if you can get it?
I know what it means for you when "ungrateful" Ugandans question the procedure of your acquisition of land for investment. Of course you will repeatedly need to defend your self time and again because that deal smacks of sinister moves.
1. How did you know of the existence of this land?
2. How much will the tax payers get from leasing the land to you? (Don't start explaining such gibberish as the multiplier effects, sum total etc). Just tell us how much we shall receive in rent or lease.
3. Is it true that you failed to get that acreage from private owners in the entire country? What methods did you use foe the search? Sure if you advertised in papers, wouldn't you have received over 1000 responses?
4. Why wouldn't the public be suspicious when you have never explained how you came tobown CMI land?
You are a rich man. I keep wondering why you want free things. This country is for all of us. Please do some soul searching.
How can you get such prime land at the cost you mentioned!? Deeply disappointed by our rich class and for you, you have taken it to another level.
As long as he contributed billions of dollars to the nrm house, no body can touch even a strand of his hair unless we change government. In which case he will beforrced to compensate for all his ills.
I only encourage Ugandans with records to keep them safe for future reversals of these fraudulently acquired lands.
Your memory is very poor. Any way, you must be investing outside Uganda. You can't be all that foolish. Ugandans are watching!!!
SUDHIR
Quote:
Had the channels been clear enough , you wouldn't be here explaining it all again. Would you??Namulonge land was obtained through very clear channels
Soon or later the truth will come out and justice will prevail.
Now you have started our land but remember you only came with 25000$. Mr sudir stop giving these useless explanations . You still remain abig suspect.
So who is really fooling who.
How about Sudhir explaining away claims he's the front for some famous corrupt office in the country?
The Observer did it's share by letting us know well in advance the hyenas were sharing out lands belonging to the national crop research centre, Sudhir should be helping to name the selected few criminals involved in the theft of this public asset.
Also -the jobs where people earn shs.80,000 per month are almost no jobs at all. Why have such a small payroll Vs turnover of over 37Billions? Is this exploitation, theft, corruption, embezzlement or love of your Indian Ugandanism?
The business case he presented to the Minister would not have been ignored by any government official who wishes Uganda better economic prospects.
Namulonge land was idle and not any agro research here has even helped Uganda command super cotton prices for a unique crop.
When the Owen falls dam was built, our fathers and grandparents were never consulted but we all ravel in the fact that it was the backbone of nascent industrial development in the East African region.
Remember flowers never existed in the Uganda economic plans before. This crop will replace many major cash crops soon. Horticulture has been a theoretical study in our institutions of higher learning for too long, let us embrace the real thing now.
Sudhir is a local investor venturing in a global lucrative industry utilising local land to promote Uganda's export position.
The business case he presented to the Minister would not have been ignored by any government official who wishes Uganda better economic prospects.
Namulonge land was idle and not any agro research here has even helped Uganda command super cotton prices for a unique crop.
When the Owen falls dam was built, our fathers and grandparents were never consulted but we all ravel in the fact that it was the backbone of nascent industrial development in the East African region.
Remember flowers never existed in the Uganda economic plans before. This crop will replace many major cash crops soon. Horticulture has been a theoretical study in our institutions of higher learning for too long, let us embrace the real thing now.
Nauseating hogwash from the usual predictable dump.
Will be a miracle if some big falls do not lead to express evacuation K'laCity resulting in reduction of traffic to 26 million lost sheep.
You may not have been on Kasambya Road or even know where NaCCRI is located, but have the audacity to grumble on everything about this innovative commercial agricultural venture.
My comment remains open for you to challenge if at all .Some once idle islands in Lake Nalubale are growing "green gold" in the form of palm oil, where were your comments?
As long as you remain without the will to have commercial initiative, you will always blame others who try. The transformation from peasant farming to commercial ventures is a culture shock that we have to live with if development makes sense.
Does anybody remember the $13m that he got for CHOGM? and thats the little we know about, CMI land, Kololo SS.
Very arrogant to even add insult to injury by writing this crap and taking up space, he should just send Andrew Mwenda the Dictators mouth piece to go on NTV and squeal or is it screech in his defense.
History means nothing to these parasites!
You even charge your rent in dollars instead of Ug. Shilling, which is unfair and unreasonable. Based on your back ground, it is fair to say that you can't be trusted.
Therefore, chances are that you acquired that land illegally. Just wait and see. M7 is not going to rule forever. He is the one who is providing you with the cover, for the known reasons.
Even the security personnel at Crane Bank are Indians.
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