KAMPALA – The Prime Minister, Ruhakana Rugunda has told Parliament that the government is set to investigate circumstances under which the Attorney General, William Byaruhanga came to take possession of land, which initially belonged to Nakasero Primary School, the same land he is now attempting to sell back to the government.
He 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 if Government proceeds to buy the land from the Attorney General.
Sebaggala took to the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, pleading with both the Speaker and Prime Minister to reign over the Attorney General, saying he was arm twisting that hands of officials from the Ministry of Finance to award his company, Pine Investments Co contract to sale land for the construction of headquarters AfroExim Bank.
Sebaggala said, “We are likely to lose tax payer’s money, the land which they are putting pressure that Government buys was part of Nakasero Primary School land and it was taken under unclear circumstances and they are selling it back to Government.”
This comes amidst media reports that a whistleblower petitioned Speaker Rebecca Kadaga on grounds that Pine Investments Co, a company owned by the Attorney General is being fronted to win the contract to sell 3acers of land to the Ministry of Finance to construct headquarters of Afro Exim bank in Uganda.
This was after officials of Afro Exim 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 Shs 14.676Bn per acre, Vara Enterprise Offered 2.4 acres in Bugolobi with the company settling for $3.1 million equivalent to Shs11.366Bn while bid proposal for SGL proposed three acres at Kololo Lugogo bypass at USD2.7 million or Shs 9.896Bn.
Kadaga asked the Prime Minister to assure the country that Government won’t be duped into buying the land whose ownership is under contention.
“That is a serious allegation if it is true if the land being sold is actually government land, 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.”
