Kampala-Uganda/Newsday: The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) is under a record crisis after part of the land where USD 400m (Shs.1.44trillion) housing project at Lubowa in Wakiso has a disputed land title.
The disputed plot 1322 on Block 269 measures 186.6 acres and approximately costs Shs.186 billion given the rate of land at Lubowa where an acre of land goes for Shs.1bn
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One of the complainants-January Bamanzi
Documents seen by the Newsday authored by the former minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development now the Inspector General of Government, Betty Namisango Kamya, disputed the claims of the NSSF on plot 1322.
Whereas NSSF claims they purchased the land from Uganda Company Holdings Limited in 2003. The current cost per acre is at Lubowa is Shs.800m meaning that in addition to the likely jeopardy of the ongoing housing project, workers are likely to lose an estimated Shs. 186. 00.000.000. (One hundred eighty six billion).
In an internal memo to May 10, 2020 by Betty Kamya to among others the Permanent secretary Dorcus Okalany she said that Ugandan laws do not allow a foreigners to own land and therefore a UK registered Company-the Uganda Holdings Company Limited (UCHC) could not have sold owned land in Uganda and sell it off to NSSF.
“”Since all directors of UCHC are not Ugandan Citizens, they could not hold a freehold title and pass onto to NSSF since the 1995 Uganda constitution forbids foreigners from holding freehold or Mailo propriety,” Kamya wrote.
She said that even then, NSSF’s title is neither digitized nor vectorised in the Land Management System (LMS).
In February 2008, NSSF bought 414 acres of land belonging to Arma Limited a Company owned by Security Minister Amama Mbabazi and businessman Amos Nzeyi at a whopping Shs 11bn yet Knight Frank International, the East Africa Consulting and Surveyors and Associated Consulting Surveyors had valued the land in question at 5.6 billion, 7.5 billion and 4.7 billion shillings respectively.
In the latest investigations it is revealed that NSSF’s title which has an acreage of 186.6 acres is mothered from Plot 50 but on map and after survey, the plot measures 0.789 (less than an acre).
“Therefore plot 50 could not have mothered Plot 1322 which measures 186.6 acres. Also, NSSF title is recorded in imperial unites yet by 2003 when NSSF says it acquired it, measurements of land had converted to metric system, There is no explanation why plot 1322 was maintained in imperial units,” Kamya’s memo reads.
NSSF’s land also has another discrepancy as it was pointed out that the kalamazo sheet where Block 269, plot 1322 is recorded has some whitewashing.
“Even more glaring is that there is no instrument number creating the amalgamation of plots 1322, 274 and 232 on the same title held by NSSF,” Kamya’s memo reads.
The investigations came at the height of a conflict between NSSF and four other people including Mr. Lubowa Kityo, January Bamanzi, Ibrahim Kabuye and Mujuni Milton.
The quadruplet claim to own a chunk of land at the same spot where NSSF claims its own. Their land measuring about 190 acres is registered as Block 269, Plots 324 to 3240.
How they got the land
On April 8, 2015 they applied to Wakiso District Land Board and were granted freehold on November 27, 2019. Their title had seven plots running from 3234-3240 and these plots overlay NSSF plot 1322
The seven titles exist on the Land Management System yet that of NSSF, according to findings does not only exist on the system but also on the
NSSF is currently running a housing USD 400m (1.44 trillion) yet even away from the Newsday reached out to the Map although it is noticeable on the kalamazoo with white washing.
But what is puzzling is that when the irregularities manifested, the four individuals complaining went to court and registered their plaint as 227/2020 and on it’s ruled in their favor. By the time of the investigations in May, NSSF had not appealed the judgment and Kamya.
Kamya directed the commissioner land registration to facilitate possession of the land back to the rightful complainants January Bamanzzi, Lubowa Kityo, Namanya Betty, Nakanwagi Daphene.
NSSF Project
The ongoings are a risk to the Uganda’s workers who are making hard savings with the National Social Security Fund (NSSF). They face a record loss after a USD 400 million (1.44 trillion).
Newsday reached out to one of the communications officers of NSSF, Victor Karamagi but he declined to comment on the matter only offering answerd to a query on the financing of the Lubowa Project.
“”The project is fully financed by NSSF,” Karamagi responded by whatsapp.
Fresh INvestigations
Newsday understands that Col Edith Nakalema of the anti corruption Unit ACU is investigating the matter again.
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