The Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) has come under scrutiny as the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, dismissed claims of the military grabbing land belonging to the Uganda Parliamentary Sacco at Namwabula village off Mityana road in Kampala. This announcement followed Tororo Woman Legislator Sarah Opendi’s revelation during a parliamentary sitting chaired by Speaker Anita Among about reports suggesting UPDF’s involvement in land grabbing from Members of Parliament.
Opendi’s assertion of increasing impunity among certain UPDF officers led her to call for a stance, tasking the Minister for Defence to provide clarifications.
In response, Speaker Anita Among refuted the claims and confirmed ongoing negotiations between Parliament and the UPDF leadership to facilitate compensation for the Parliamentary Sacco land. Following the compensation, the Uganda Parliamentary Sacco will acquire an alternative piece of land.
Furthermore, Robert Migadde, the Chairperson of the Uganda Parliamentary Sacco, corroborated the compulsory acquisition of the land, urging UPDF to expedite the compensation process for legislators before finalizing any agreements.
The contested land in Namwabula encompasses 258 acres, with 100 acres being the property of the Uganda Parliamentary Sacco. Upon reaching an agreement, the UPDF is set to remit 33.3 billion shillings to the Uganda Parliamentary SACCO for the 100 acres acquired at a cost of 9 billion shillings in 2022.
