The Minister of State for Lands, Sam Mayanja, has trashed the Presidential Task Force on land matters, saying it does not have the mandate to execute any land related matters. The task force is headed by Rtd Brig. Gen. Moses Shaban Lukyamuzi.
Speaking at a recent meting, Mayanja said that “The committee is not gazetted.”
“It’s activities are always contrary to the law and court orders,” the minister is quoted to have said.
According to Mayanja, the committee is not an execution arm of courts and cannot implement court order.
“Execution (of court order) is done with the help of police which is mandated under the civil court. The committee does not have the mandate to solve land matters. Its only meant to respond fast where there are issues and hand over to police for action,” Mayanja said.
Mayanja’s comment on the task force comes amidst a backdrop of cases of land matters in which Lukyamuzi is involved in.
For instance, in November last year, the Administrators of the estate of the late Nekemia Masabo Lwanga Sempama of Nkuma Bufulu Zone in Entebbe petitioned the Director of Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) accusing Lukyamuzi and his bodyguard over misconduct. The petitioner accused Lukyamuzi and his bodyguard of malicious damage to property, assault and disobeying a court order. According to the petitioner, Lukyamuzi approached them an asked them for land in exchange for protection from imposters and land grabbers. The land owner reportedly declined to take Lukyamuzi’s demand, something that did not go well with the army officer. On November 29, 2021, Lukyamuzi and his bodyguard and 20 hooligans are said to have raided the land and removed all the markstones and fencing poles from the deceased’s land measuring 3.5 acres.
In June this year, Lukyamuzi wrote to the Inspector General of Police Martins Okoth Ochola alleging that he received a petition claiming abuse in the court order in regards to the land comprised on Block 185, Plot 385 in Kira, Kito.
In his letter, Lukyamuzi said he had gone ahead to deploy army officers on the said land.
However, it is known that the mandate to deploy on account of disagreement is on the IGP. One has to write to the IGP requesting for deployment. The IGP assigns Director for Operations, who then handles it together with the Director Legal. Lukyamuzi’s deployment means that he is above the IGP.
Yet, the said land has, however, since been declared by court to be owned by Nabitosi Alice and Ssemakula Yusuf.
In fact, court went on to order police to protect lawful occupants/bonafide occupants (Nabitosi and Ssemaula) against land grabbers.
On March 1, 2022, Internal Affairs Minister Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire wrote to the IGP ordering him to protect Nabitosi and Ssemakula and their property from threats of actions and evictions.
However, it is known that the mandate to deploy on account of disagreement is on the IGP. One has to write to the IGP requesting for deployment. The IGP assigns Director for Operations, who then handles it together with the Director Legal. Lukyamuzi’s deployment means that he is above the IGP.
Otafiire’s letter was prompted by that from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development.
But according to the Minister, Lukyamuzi’s committee can only work in collaboration with other stakeholders like the Police.
