The Inspector General of Government (IGG), Beti Kamya, has asked the chairperson and Secretary of Uganda Land Commission Beatrice Byenkya and Barbara Imaryo, respectively – to step aside and pave way for investigations into allegations of corruption and abuse of office.
Kamya has since written twice to the substantive Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and Judith Nabakooba, directing her to interdict the said officials in order not to interfere with on-going investigations.
“The members of the commission condemn the actions of the chairperson, Beatrice Byenkya and disassociate themselves from the said actions since they are not premised on any facts adduced to the members of the commission or the secretary,” a letter signed by all the ULC members reads in part.
“That as the head of the institution, the Chairperson should have explored other mechanisms of managing any disagreements or conflict by notifying the Secretary to the Uganda Land Commission and requesting for an explanation and then notifying the Commission,” the members added.
The Criminal Investigations Directorate is also investigating another set of cases of abuse of office and financial loss against ULC officials in regard to the payments of land claimants.
In October, detectives raided the ULC head offices, where they arrested senior officers and seized computers and documents.
Sources told this publication that both police and ULC are investigating bribery, mismanagement of land fund and abuse of office by some officials of the Uganda land fund. Among the key issues being invstigated include ,over payment of land fund claimants , payment of ghost persons who do not exist, missing files.
That it’s a tendency of some officials at the Uganda Land Commission to hide files for claimants who do not accept 30 % deduction from their claims as a kick back, paying people who do not have land titles or proof of ownership of land being compensated for.
Altering a list of 62 claimants which was approved by the board to be compensated for Quarter 1 of FY 2021/22 and replacing them with a list of 186 claimants for the coming quarter of FY 2021/2022 which list is alleged to be false and mismanagement of Ugx 750,000,000/= meant for purchase of brand new double cabins for the Commission
