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Prof. Badru Kateregga listens to local investor Omar Nasolo Sekamatte, who owns part of the scouts' land. In the middle is Gen. William Bainomugisha, the military police boss
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WAKISO
The State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU), headed by Brig. Gen. Henry Rusoke, has taken over investigations into the land wrangles at the Uganda Scouts land in Kaazi, Wakiso district.
This intervention follows disputes among several businessmen, each claiming ownership of land at Kaazi, while members of the Uganda Scouts Association are also contesting the ownership claims. A reliable source told Torch Media Africa that SHACU picked up the matter on the orders of President Yoweri Museveni.
Brig. Gen. Rusoke's officers visited the land on Monday afternoon after the scouts reportedly threatened to take the law into their hands. SHACU spokesperson Mariam Natasha confirmed yesterday that they are investigating the matter. This development comes at a time when some businesspersons have fenced off part of the scouts' land, cut trees, dumped murram, and started erecting buildings. This prompted the scouts to gather at the land in an attempt to stop the construction last week. The Uganda Scouts Association spokesperson, Hajji Badru Kateregga, and national mobiliser Mohammad Nkata have called upon authorities to intervene and save the scouts’ land.
Omar Sekamatte's hotel building under construction in Kaazi
In the ensuing chaos, the military police boss Brig. Gen. William Bainomugisha was forced last Thursday to deploy additional forces to support the regular police and calm the situation. Bainomugisha advised the warring factions to sit at a round table and amicably resolve their misunderstandings.
The deployment followed a dispute between businessmen Francis Bbuto Matovu and Omar Sekamatte over land in Kaazi. The scouts' land serves as a camping site for the Uganda Scouts and Girl Guides.
Four military police trucks cordoned off the scene as a section of scouts’ leaders threatened to dislodge Sekamatte, who is developing part of the Kaazi land. The scouts accuse Sekamatte of illegally encroaching on close to eight acres of their land where he is constructing a hotel.
The land in question belonged to a man named James Kalega, who allegedly sold his Kibanja interest of five acres on Block 273, 205 & 206 to a Dr. Kassim Aboud, who is reported to have sold his interest to Sekamatte. However, Sekamatte is accused of illegally encroaching on land belonging to Matovu, another Kibanja owner with over two acres, reportedly acquired from Gen. David Ssejjusa in 2013.
According to the Uganda Scouts Association Chief Commissioner, Alice Nyiramahoro, the military deployments at Kaazi have left the association worried. She stated that the escalation of the matter can only be checked by the office of the President. The Scouts Association spokesperson (Kateregga) noted that they have lost much of their prime land to encroachers, with the latest attempt made by Sekamatte under his company, Delights Auto Mart Company Limited.
Kateregga said almost half of their prime land on the shores of Lake Victoria is being sold unlawfully.
"We are petitioning the senior patriot of this country, President Yoweri Museveni, to intervene and immediately stop the illegal developments on the Scouts' land and also save the degraded swamp and wetland area at Kaazi," he said.
Residents of Kaazi revealed that Sekamatte has been warned to stop his illegal activities, but he remains adamant. "We see trucks at night moving in and out of the site under floodlights, bringing in murram and construction materials without anyone stopping them," said Wasswa Galiwango, a resident of Kaazi.
