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Mak Staff Petition Museveni Over Fraudulent Sale of Kololo Land

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Our reporter visited the said land and found a billboard indicating that it was being developed by Universal Multipurpose Enterprises (U) Ltd. URN understands that around early 2018, Professor Eria Hisali, the Principal College of Business and Management Sciences led a team to investigate the land matter but his report hasn’t been made public.
Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, the Makerere University Vice Chancellor -Photo by Mak PRO Office

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A group of Makerere university staff have petitioned President Yoweri Museveni over the alleged fraudulent sale of University Land valued at over USD 7million (approximately UGX 25.7billion) in Kololo.   

This is contained in an 83-page document authored by concerned Makerere University academic and administrative staff titled “Systemic & Systematic Corruption, Lawlessness & Impunity at Makerere University” was authored by the staff in August this year.” 

According to the document, Makerere University owned 3.97 acres of land on plot 34, 36 and 40 on Prince Charles Drive in Kololo amongst other land in Kololo, an upscale residential and commercial neighborhood and one of the original seven hills that formed Kampala city.  

The land in question is registered under reference number LRV4055 Folio 15. According to the concerned staff, the land extended to Kololo hill lane and had pillars with the officials Makerere University colors (Red/Black/Green) at the four corners.   

However, the concerned staff, say the land was partitioned into three plots/titles and sold by the “mafia” around 2017.  They also say that although three pillars were removed, one is still in place even though the colors have faded. They say the land on the upper side (Kololo Hill lane) is currently being developed.    

Our reporter visited the said land and found a billboard indicating that it was being developed by Universal Multipurpose Enterprises (U) Ltd.  URN understands that around early 2018, Professor Eria Hisali, the Principal College of Business and Management Sciences led a team to investigate the land matter but his report hasn’t been made public.

The petitioners say in addition to hiding the report, it has never discussed by the University Council.  The document alleges that ENSAfrica Advocates brokered the land transaction. 

The petitioner accuse Thomas Tayebwa, the Ruhinda North Member of Parliament, Bruce Balaba Kabaasa, the chairperson of the Committee of Finance, Planning and Investment of the governing council, Eng. Dr. Wana Etyem, the former Makerere University Council chairperson and Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe of sharing the money from the fraudulent land sale.  

They also indicate that some well-wishers of Makerere University have been trying to follow up how this land changed hands in Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).  The petitioners claim that in their attempts to follow up on the status of the land, they were told by the people in the KCCA Land Registry that they were under instructions not give out any information regarding the ownership of the land at Prince Charles Drive, Plots 34, 36 & 40.  

“In addition, at the junction between Prince Charles Drive and York Avenue (Kololo), a piece of land was lost by the University under unclear circumstances. A two-story private residential house was constructed there. The irregular loss of this land should be followed up and the mafia brought to book,” the document reads in part.    

Phillip Karugaba, the head of ENSAfrica couldn’t be reached for comment to establish their alleged involvement in the land sale as his known numbers were not readily available. 

Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, the Makerere Vice Chancellor told URN that there is a group of people in Makerere trying to fight his administration, adding that they are writing many things ignorantly without facts.  

“I can understand the frustration of those trying to fight me. Because they are failing everywhere. I can understand their frustration. So they will cling on anything. I am not a signatory to any papers regarding Makerere university land. I have not signed anywhere on those papers,” Professor Nawangwe said.  

He explained that it was during the reign of Professor Venansius Baryamureeba as vice chancellor that the university established the fraudulent takeover of the university land.  

 

//Cue in: “The issue of the…

Cue out: …before I was a Vice Chancellor.”//     

According to Nawangwe, his office is aware of the fraudulent give away of the Kololo land on a 49 year lease. He argues that the only problem that he saw with the land deal was giving almost all powers to the person they initially leased it to do anything on it including subleasing it to other parties.   

 

//Cue in: “The lease gave powers…  

Cue out: …even before I became DVC F&A”//     

Background  

URN gathers that the three-acre land located on plots 34A and 36A on Prince Charles Drive which, Makerere University has owned since 1962 was first leased to Janice Amayo and later transferred to Nassour Rahez by the Lands Ministry.

The said transaction took place on December 24 in 2009, just a day after the university closed for Christmas holidays. Nassour Ramez allegedly bought the land from one Janice Amayo at US$3.5 million (Shs8B) to erect a five-star hotel.