By Andrew Irumba
The Attorney General of Uganda William Byaruhanga has landed in deep trouble after Parliament instituted an investigations into circumstances under which he acquired land that initially belonged to Nakasero Primary School.
Byaruhanga’s troubles started today when the Prime Minister, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, told Parliament that government is to investigate circumstances under which the AG Byaruhanga took possession of land that belonged to Nakasero Primary School, which he is now attempting to sell back to government at a colossal amount.
Rugunda said, “Government is going to investigate these allegations. In the next sitting, the Government will provide a preliminary report about this matter, we take allegations being made seriously especially ownership of the land.”
Rugunda made the revelation on Wednesday while responding to pleas made by Abdulatiff Sebaggala (Kawempe North), who warned that taxpayers are bound to lose billions of shillings if Government goes ahead with the transaction and buys the land from the Attorney General.
Sebaggala pleaded with both the Speaker and Prime Minister to reign in on the Attorney General, who he claimed was arm-twisting officials from the Ministry of Finance to award his company, Pine Investments Co. LTD, a contract to sale land for the construction of headquarters AfroExim Bank.
Sebaggala said, “We are likely to lose taxpayers’ money. The land which they are pressurising Government to buy, was part of Nakasero Primary School land and it was taken under unclear circumstances and they are now selling it back to Government.”
However, this comes amidst media reports that a whistleblower petitioned Speaker Rebecca Kadaga on grounds that Pine Investments Co, is allegedly being fronted to win the contract to sell 3 acres of land to the Ministry of Finance to construct headquarters of AfroExim bank in Uganda.
This was after officials of AfroExim Bank approached President Yoweri Museveni with a proposal to build a bank in Uganda, a proposal the President welcomed with a conditionality for the Bank to establish its headquarters in Uganda.
According to the dossier, four companies expressed interest in selling land including; Pine Investments Co which offered 2.2 acres near Nakasero Primary School at USD4 million approximately Shs14.676Bn per acre, Vara Enterprise Offered 2.4 acres in Bugolobi with the company settling for USD3.1 million equivalent to Shs11.366Bn while bid proposal for SGL proposed three acres at Kololo Lugogo Bypass at USD2.7 million or Shs9.896Bn.
Kadaga asked the Prime Minister to assure the country that Government won’t be duped into buying land whose ownership is under contention.
“That is a serious allegation. If it is true the land being sold is actually government land, but is now being sold to Government at an exorbitant price and possibly involving a member of your cabinet cost. Can you undertake that nothing shall happen, that Government will not be forced to buy that land before you come back to this House?” Kadaga asked Rugunda, who promised to return to Parliament with a comprehensive report after thorough investigations into the matter.
But it should be noted that whereas the Attorney General bought the entire piece of land at USD1m, he is selling it to government parcelled into 2.2 Acres, each at USD4M, which according to land valuers in Kampala, is a bloated figure.
Watch this space!
