MPs, residents reject appointment of Chairman Land Board

KIKUUBE – Residents, local leaders and Members of Parliament in Kikuube district have condemned Kikuube district council for appointing Ignatius Muganyizi as the Chairman Land Board of the district.

This was after 13 Councillors out of 24 approved the appointment of Muganyizi despite protests from the public.

Kikuube district council on Friday were left divided after a section of Councillors okayed the appointment of Muganyizi, as the Chairman Land Board of the district.

In the previous Council held in August this year, Councillors rejected Muganyizi claiming that his integrity was lacking. The Council then instituted a committee led by Nicholas Kiiza to investigate the allegations.

Last week, the committee presented the findings to the Council which indicated that the allegations of corruption and involvement in land grabbing which the public was accusing Muganyizi were false.

Basing on the findings, the Council appointed Muganyizi as the Chairman district Land Board in a council sitting that was held at Lake Albert Guest house in Kyehoro landing site, Nkondo parish in Kabwoya sub-county, Kikuube district. The location is situated about 90km away from Kikuube district headquarters.

The district Speaker, Chris Nkaru who chaired the council sitting subjected the Council election of the Chairman Land Board of the district to a vote by show of hands.

The election results indicated; 11 members out of 24 Councilors that included Alex Byasi of Kabwota sub-county, Annet Asera, the Female Councilor for Bugambe sub-county, Teddy Kyomugisa of Kiziranfubi sub-county, Risah Kwikiriza of Kabwoya sub-county, Bigirwa Kasanga of Buhimba Town Council, Ruth Kobusinge and Deo Karubanga of Buhimba sub-county opposed the appointment of Muganyizi.

Alex Byasi and other Councilors refuted the committee findings saying, they were biased adding that the appointment of the Muganyizi is an insult and injustice to the people of Kikuube.

They accused the committee for only consulting people in support of Muganyizi. According to Alex, they presented a petition signed by more than 1000 people protesting the appointment of Muganyizi as the Chairman Land Board  of the district  but the Council did not respect the concerns of the people.

As the council was on going, residents from Kabwoya sub-county stormed the Council venue protesting his appointment despite the district having taken the Council meeting far away to avoid the residents from invading them.

Led by Francis Twesige Mukoto, the Kabwoya LC3 Chairperson, the residents demanded that Muganyizi’s appointment be cancelled accusing him of being behind the rampant land grabbing in Kikuube.

According to Mukoto, Muganyizi who previously served as the Kabwoya sub-county Lands Committee Chairperson from 2009 to 2016 allegedly committed a lot of  crimes by conniving with tycoons and issued illegal land titles that fueled evictions of people from their ancestral land.

He noted that the appointment of this man will fuel land grabbing because he lacks integrity.

John Mugabo, the LC1 Chairperson of Kyabayanja village says, Muganyizi during his tenure connived with tycoons and titled 925 hectares of land in the Name of MZ agencies and this land belongs to area residents.

The land covers the six villages of; Kyabayanja, Kimbugu, Kiburara A, Kiburara B, Nyamiriki and Nyangabi. He wonders how such a person could be appointed to head the district land board.

Phillip Komubitoke, the LC1 Chairperson for Kyamugabi, also in Kikuube said while serving as the Kabwoya sub-county area land board Chairperson, Muganyizi connived with one Maria Conslata and titled people’s landing measuring 420 hectares saying, to date they are living in untold suffering.

Fred Bainomugisa, the Youth Chairperson Kabwoya sub-county says in August, they wrote a petition to the Kikuube district LC5 Chairperson together with the district council notifying them not to dare appoint Muganyizi as the district land board Chairperson but they were shocked that Council went ahead to appoint him.

Amlan Tumusiime, the Kikuube Resident District Commissioner (RDC) said he was shocked to see the same Councilors who rejected Muganyizi’s appointment during the previous council claiming that he lacked integrity; were the ones that this time round voted in his favor.

“I am, shocked to see the Councilors who in the first council sitting about two months ago, rejected the name of the man with 99% as the same Councilors who have now suggested that he becomes the Chairman district Land Board. At the time, the reason was that the man had no integrity, the man has bad records, two month later he has become a good man.”

“I am also aware of the Councilors, who last week petitioned to the Minister of Land rejecting the man, I saw them voting yes. This is not leadership, this is a jock, leaders are supposed to listen to what people are saying. Kikuube district has a lot of issues on land, when  you appoint a person whose integrity is being doubted to be the Chairperson of a district land board which is suffering from  and disputes, then you are causing problems. As an RDC, my work is to report to the center and I can assure you I will report that this is not the wish of the people of Kikuube district but the wish of a few and then the center will take it from there,” said Tumusiime.               

Francis Kazini, the Buhaguzi County Member of Parliament wonders why council rushed to confirm Muganyizi, yet members of the public rejected him and called for more consultations on the matter before the names are submitted to the Ministry of Lands for approval.

Stephen Asera Itaza, the Buhaguzi East MP wonders why the Council has insisted on one person who is being rejected by the public to take the position yet there are many other competent people with integrity in the district who can fill the position.

He promised to take the matter to the Inspectorate of Government for investigation.

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Peter Banura, the LC5 Chairperson said, they confirmed Muganyizi’s names after the production committee thoroughly investigated all the accusations levied against him and found out that they were baseless.

Other members on the committee are Tibeita Tusabe, Sarah Atagwireho, Muzamil Balihamwe and Peterson Kyomuhendo.

Sources claimed that those who supported the appointment of Mugabyizi were each bribed with Shs 500,000.

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