Yusuf Nsibambi the chairperson of Kampala District Land Board (KDLB) has cried out that his life is in danger after exposing how top city tycoons use shrewd methods including murder to grab land.
Nsibambi made this revelation before Justice Catherine Bamugemereire's land probe where he stated that he decided to give away most of the protected areas like wetlands and forest reserves to city tycoons after being put on pressure by mighty powers from above. "My lord, land grabbers are connected people, they know early what the government is planning to do in a certain area. They know which judge to use when the deal goes wrong, it's only this commission which can help Ugandans fight these people who can even murder when it comes to land especially in this city of Kampala," Nsibambi said.
He testified that last week, officers from police stormed his office alleging that they are investigating several files which KDLB handled while giving away. Nsibambi said that he obliged by giving them whatever file they asked for and they took them. However, few minutes later, he received communication from the commission of inquiry into land matters asking for the same files. He said that he contacted the officers who took them earlier to return them, surprisingly, they informed him that the files got lost and told him to get other copies which he did not have by then.
Nsibambi said that it was a move planned by city tycoons to snatch the files which would have used as evidence against them. The files which got lost are those which contained information on land titles given to two city tycoons Ephraim Ntaganda and Hassan Basajjabalaba. He said that both tycoons learnt that the commission was investigating them early and they decided to run away with the files.
Nsibambi, who is also a law don at Makerere said that in 2012, he was approached by a number of people who he later learnt that they were relatives to Basajjabalaba and Ntaganda, applying for land titles in Luzira wetlands. Among the people who approached him included Siraje Tumwine Tumusiime, who is a brother to Basajjabalaba, Aisha Murungi, a sister to Basajjabalaba, Barbra Nalubega, a senior employee with Mr. Ephraim Ntaganda, Bob Kanabi, a brother to Ntaganda, Kawagira Real Estate Agency owned by Ntaganda, Trustnet Developers limited owned by Ntaganda, Asuman Irumba a brother to Basajjabalaba, Azidah Natege, a senior employee with Basajjabalaba, Irene Kwera, who works with Basajjabalaba, Hood Ssemuga who works with Ntaganda, Rogers Katali who works with Ntaganda, Kellen Kalema who works with Basajjabalaba, Mwebesa and company advocates, a law firm representing Basajjabalaba and his pseudo relatives, Logic Real Estates limited owned by Ntaganda and Lora Appertments limited owned by Ntaganda. Nsibambi said that all the said people and companies are fronted by both Basajjabalaba and Ntaganda to hide their lands grabbing acts. He added that all those people own land titles in areas of Miami close, Lake drive, Binayomba close, Luzira valley access drive and others all in wetlands.
He further told the commission that he approved their land titles not knowing that the said people were targeting compensation from government because it was planning to establish a Namanve-Luzira power line.
"I got to understand that I was used by these people recently when the commission started investigating this matter my lord. I was ashamed and I pick my phone and I called one of these people, surprisingly he told me to carry my cross because they did not hold my hands and that the commission will never discover them," Nsibambi said.
He added that those people are very powerful because one day they arrested Lt. Gen Joram Mugume who went to stop them from using Luzira wetlands, they forced him to sit in the dust for five hours and he was only rescued by the army from the mob who wanted to beat him. Another example Nsibambi gave to the commission is when one of the Directors of St. Patrick primary school arrested a NEMA official with his wife and forced him to sit in mud while it was raining. This was because the NEMA official was the one who allowed St Patrick to be built in the wetland.
"My lord, I have been expecting this that one day I will be prosecuted for using my office to approve titles to these wetlands. My lord I'm in your hands and I'm waiting for your recommendations even if it means being prosecuted I'm ready my lord," Nsimbambi submitted.
He warned the commission that Ntaganda and Basajjabalaba are in advanced stages of securing a court order stopping them from appearing before the commission of inquiry to answer questions regarding how they obtained land titles in wetlands. Justice Bamugemereire assured him that the commission is ready for them and will deal with them seriously.
By Jamil Lutakome
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