KAMPALA: State House Anti-Corruption Unit in liaison with Uganda Police arrested five Fort Portal City and Kabarole district land officials, including Area land Committee members of the former West Division Fort Portal (now Central Division) Fort Portal City, for allegedly conniving to sell public land at Millane Access along the River Mpanga to businessman, Balinda Abasi.
The officials include:
1. Baguma David Mwesige – Chairperson Area Land Committee, West Division.
2. Samuel Musana -Senior Physical Planner, Fort Portal City
3. Simon Peter Kugonza -District Staff Surveyor
4. Sumini Nansubuga -Senior Staff Surveyor Kabarole MZO (Ministry Zonal Office)
5. Jessy Smart Bwango -Secretary, District Land Board Kabarole.
The officials allegedly approved Balinda’s application without inspection, despite the fact that the land is within the river’s protected borders and should not be occupied. The Ministry Zonal Office’s District Staff Surveyor and Senior Staff Surveyor did not double-check the application to identify the junior officers’ omissions and errors. The Secretary District Land Board did not also advise on the irregularities in the application, including Balinda’s claim of customarily owning the land, whereas not.
Additionally, the Unit, in collaboration with Uganda Police on September 29, 2022, detained two suspects, Richard Alituha – Principle Education Officer, and Annet Kirungi – Former Head of Finance, on allegations of mismanagement of over UGX180 million in Capitation grants for Fort Portal City schools and tertiary institutions for the Financial Year 2021/2022. Other suspects Gerald Mugenyi- Senior Accounts Assistant, and Moses Tibihika Theophiccus- Accounting Officer, are still at large.
