The jailed Kampala District Land Board (KDLB) boss, David Balondemu, has attributed his anguishes to well position ‘mafias’ who were determined to grab land in prime areas within Kampala.
He said some of them are influential government Ministers, as well as prominent businessmen. “I recall one of them wanted to grab land on Plot 43, situated along Ben Kiwanuka Street, while others forcefully wanted to grab a plot on Lumumba Avenue, and Kyambogo respectively,” he said.
It has also been established that upon becoming chairperson of Kampala District Land Board, Balondemu, who is also a seasoned city lawyer, received a requests from President Yoweri Museveni advising him to have a re-entry for the land title of St. Balikuddembe Market commonly known as Owino back to government in order to save the vendors’ premises.
As a loyal servant, he (Balondemu) worked tooth and nail to have the deal done. However, ‘Mafias’ who were behind a section of traders under St. Balikuddembe Market Stalls, Space, and Lock-up Association (SSLOA) started playing draconian tactics with intent to fail him from fulfilling the presidential request.
SSLOA had failed to develop the market for many years well knowing it was part of the clauses in the agreement which they made when the former Kampala City Council, (KCC) was granting them a lease on which the market sits.
It has been established that the Land Board boss in collaboration with the current Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) capitalized on SSLOA’s failure to develop the market and decided to give back the land to the government, which did not auger well with the ‘Mafias’ who used to collect almost a billion shilling on a monthly basis for a period of ten years, without remitting even a coin to government.
“Actually one of the ‘Mafias’ boldly approached Balondemu, offering him Sh10b to compel him reverse his minds on Owino market land title, but he turned down the offer,” Balondemu’s close friend told this website.
As a result, the radical group mobilized themselves and waged court battles against Balondemu, in an individual capacity, together with the former interim market chairperson-Susan Kushaba, accusing the duo of contempt of Court, among other charges.
Fortunately, the duo trounced the complainants in round one of the court battle.
As if that was not enough, a credible source added that ‘Mafias’ went ahead to witch-hunt Balondemu and his close associates through big offices, which have successfully aided them to open up trumped-up charges against him, in addition to threatening their lives.
“Imagine when Balondemu, refused to reverse his decision on Owino land title as he had been asked to do by the ‘mafias’ against the president’s will, they started linking him to old cases of 2020, of the sale and purchase of Gold where his only role was to act as an advocate, draft agreement for the parties which were involved in the transaction,” a source narrated.
Initially, SSLOA had allegedly wanted government to buy the market land from them at a cost of $350m but Balondemu, failed the deal, when he decided to give it back to government for free of charge on behalf of the vendors.
“The ‘mafias’ twisted everything and turned out like he (Balondemu) was the contracting party while as not.” Apparently, his ‘foes’ whose intention is to soil his well-deserved reputation, are closely collaborating with State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) to syndicate cases against him.”
Furthermore, Balondemu’s side expressed concern over the continued system of coaching the purported c0-accused so as to pin their person by over detaining them at Kireka’s famous SID cells.
“Jeff Nviiri and Geofrey Mugisha are live examples; imagine Balondemu requested for trial into the purported case in which he is being implicated in $600,000 USD but the state shockingly insists on not according it to him.” a source added.
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