Shocking revelations have emerged indicating collusion in the operations of the Kampala Land Board, ultimately resulting in the arrest of its chairperson, David Balondemu.
Balondemu was apprehended on Wednesday by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) upon the directives of President Yoweri Museveni.
This action was prompted by complaints alleging his fraudulent activities, which led to the loss of $600,000 (Shs2.2 billion) for Hyun UK Kim, a Korean investor.
His arrest comes shortly after the Police, in conjunction with SHACU, apprehended and arraigned two suspects—James Mugisha Jeff and Maviri Godfrey—before the KCCA Chief Magistrates Court for their involvement in the defrauding of the Korean investor.
Further startling revelations have been uncovered by the investigative unit, highlighting extensive fraud and collusion within the operations of the Kampala Land Board.
Sources have disclosed that the investigative unit is still probing the circumstances surrounding the utilization of UGX 1.5 billion received from a Chinese investor and $1 billion from a South African investor earmarked for the renovation of traffic lights in Kampala.
These same sources also assert that the Unit is examining the circumstances under which the Kampala Land Board granted a land plot near the old taxi park in Kampala on two separate occasions.
This action sparked outrage from one of the city’s prominent figures, Hajj Abdul Kasai, who was the original owner of the plot and sought redress from the Ministry of Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs.
In response to these startling developments, State Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs Kabuye Kyofatogabye stated that this is just the beginning.
He emphasized that much more is yet to be unveiled regarding the decay that is affecting the operations of numerous departments in Kampala city.
“The truth has begun to surface. What you have just witnessed is one of the elusive malignant acts deeply embedded in the operations of many of our departments. Regarding how operations are conducted, much remains yet to be unveiled,” stated Kyofatogabye.
Responding to similar developments, the Lord Mayor for Kampala City, Ssalongo Elias Lukwago, explained that due to the excessive controversy surrounding the activities of the Kampala Land Board, he and his team decided to halt the issuance of leases in Kampala.
“We have vigorously contested the handling of land matters by the Uganda Land Commission, leasing land here and there, often in a non-transparent manner, be it on our sports fields, in schools, or market lands. Thus, we concluded that the Uganda Land Commission lacks the authority to grant leases,” Lukwago declared.
“Even at the level of KCCA, we had to voice our dissent, asserting that our land cannot be leased haphazardly. This is why you see that we have ceased leasing land for school grounds, sports fields, swamps, and so forth,” he added.
Minister for Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, Judith Nabakoba, responded to these ominous developments by pointing out that they face a hindrance in the fact that several district land boards are headed by individuals who lack expertise in the law. Consequently, they often make costly errors.
“Many of those who lead district land boards operate based on the financial incentives presented by those seeking to utilize the land, often without due consideration of the law. These leaders are supposed to undergo a thorough vetting process, including security clearance, before assuming office. It is perplexing how they manage to attain such positions,” she remarked.
Balondemu has held the position of Chairman of the Kampala Land Board since 2020, following his appointment by the Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago. His appointment faced opposition from some whistleblowers who accused him at the time of being involved in various fraud cases.
At that time, Balondemu was among the city lawyers being investigated by the Kibuli CID department for collaborating with gold dealers to defraud unsuspecting foreign investors through counterfeit gold transactions.
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