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Resign, judge tells Minister Amongi

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Accused of conflict of interest, Betty Amongi, the minister for Lands was nudged yesterday by a rather angry Justice Catherine Bamugemereire to resign.

Appearing before the Justice Bamugemereire-led Commission of Inquiry into Land Matters; Amongi tried hard but failed to separate herself from the questionable actions of her private company, AMOBET Investment Ltd.

According to the commission, the minister’s company forged land titles and fraudulently acquired four high-end government properties. The minister runs the company with her sister, Ketty Amongi, a Lira-based businesswoman.

During cross-examination, Justice Bamugemereire asked the minister whether she knew what conflict of interest means and the consequences it carries for a culpable senior government official such as a minister. Before she could answer, the judge asked the minister to read out loud the Leadership Code Act section 5 sub-sections 1 and section 12 sub-section 2.

In reading out loud, the minister said, “A leader cannot put himself or herself in a position in which his or her personal interests conflict with his or her duties and responsibilities. A leader shall not participate in the deliberations of a public body or board or council or commission or committee of which he or she is a member at any meetings at which any matter in which he or she has personal interest is to be discussed.”

She added, “A leader who contravenes that sub section 1 breaches the code and is liable to vacate office or be dismissed…”

“Don’t you see that this Leadership Code Act is asking you what to do?” the judge said, sending a rather tense minister and the audience gathered in the National Records Centre and Archives Building in Wandegeya into laughter.

Before she finally showed up yesterday at 9 o’clock, the minister had skipped two summonses, which prompted an angry Bamugemereire to issue the latest criminal summons.

Amongi is accused of attempting to fraudulently acquire property on Plot 29, Acacia avenue in Kololo, Kampala.

The property in dispute is under leasehold number 235 and registered in the names of Toshak Patel, an architect.

But the minister insisted that all operational functions of the company were executed by the managing director called Henry Mubiru.

Amongi denied knowing the disputed property on Plot 29, Acacia avenue. But documents in possession of the commission showed that the minister has in the past signed off many transactions as managing director of AMOBET.

It is alleged that inDecember 2017, Amongi through her company, AMOBET, acquired temporary possession of the property after it was repossessed by the Asian family in 1992.

Documents indicate that the allocation by AMOBET, Investments Limited was signed by the executive secretary of the Departed Asians Property Custodian Board (DAPCB), George William Bizibu.

Bizibu who appeared before the Commission on May 7, made some contradictory statements and was subsequently detained for further questioning.

He was also instructed to present to the Commission, documents on the alleged board meetings he held. During cross examination, the seven Commissioners found that Bizibu, without the consent of the full DAPCB board, underestimated properties owned by government and doled them out at giveaway prices.

A case in point is the above mentioned property on Plot 29 Acacia Avenue which commands rent of US$9,000 per month, but was fraudulently allocated to somebody else at a paltry US$150 per month.

While there are no exact figures, reports indicate that government has lost billions of shilling through these shoddy dealings.

Last week, the land probe questioned the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) Undersecretary, Albert Jethro Mugumya, in regard to the minister’s hand in the management of the land fund. It is alleged that in 2016, Amongi directed Mugumya to pay millions of shillings under the Land Fund contrary to her mandate.

Mugumya said Amongi directed him to make the payments to various people citing special requests.

Mugumya who declined to divulge details, said Amongi’s involvement amounted to micro management of the land fund contrary to her role of providing policy guidelines.

Documents presented before the commission confirm that on November 23, 2016, the minister directed Mugumya to make an urgent payment of land compensation of more than Shs 620 million to nine people.

In another letter dated October 31, 2016, Amongi directed Mugumya to effect payments for special consideration to two sick persons.

According to the letter, the minister directed Mugumya to advance Shs 100 million out of Shs 776,780,000 to Victoria Kakoko-Sebagereka who was very sick and due for treatment abroad, and Shs 50 million to a one Mzee Kuriash Barinda of Isingiro.

In another letter dated November 29, 2017, Amongi directed the payment of Shs 675.8 million to Yisaka Lwakana for land at Kooki, Katete.

“The payments were effected basing on special requests as indicated in the minister’s letters and the land is known to ULC as per the records,” said Mugumya adding that he complied with the minister’s directive.

Evidence presented before the land probe indicates that Amongi contravened the Public Service Standing Orders when she directed the accounting officer instead of the ULC chairman to effect the payments.

Extracted from the observer

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WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

Top 10 agribusiness giants: corporate concentration in food & farming in 2025

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Today a handful of agribusiness corporations have consolidated unprecedented control over the world’s food supply, with devastating consequences for farmers, consumers and the planet. A new report by ETC Group and GRAIN examines the state of corporate concentration in six sectors critical to agriculture: commercial seeds, pesticides, synthetic fertilisers, farm machinery, animal pharmaceuticals and livestock genetics.

Corporate consolidation is increasing in most of these sectors and four of them– seeds, pesticides, agricultural machinery and animal pharmaceuticals– now meet the definition of an oligopoly, in which four companies control more than 40% of a market. Concentration can be even higher at the national level, as is the case with synthetic fertilisers.

Top findings from the report include:

  • Oligopolies dominate key sectors: Bayer, Corteva, Syngenta, and BASF control 56% of the global commercial seeds market, and 61% of the pesticides market.
  • Profiteering amid global crises: Agribusiness giants have exploited crises like the Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic to inflate prices. Fertiliser companies, for instance, saw revenues soar by 57% from 2020 to 2023, with some accused of price gouging.
  • Digital and biotech expansion: Corporations are rapidly integrating AI, gene editing, and digital platforms into agriculture through partnerships with Big Tech companies. These technologies enable data extraction from farmers, facilitate carbon credit schemes, and tighter control over food systems—while raising concerns about biosafety, privacy, and corporate monopolies.

View the Report

Source: grassrootsonline

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WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

Land grabbers evict 360,000 Ugandans in 2024

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A staggering 363,021 Ugandans were displaced due to forced land evictions between January and June 2024, according to a new report by Witness Radio Uganda.

The report documented 90 cases of land evictions during this period, with nearly four incidents occurring weekly, affecting over 15,126 people and threatening 5,060 hectares of land nationwide.

The Central region was the epicenter, recording 52 eviction cases, followed by 24 in the Western region, eight in the Northern region, and six in the Eastern region. Alarmingly, the report estimated that 2,160 Ugandans face eviction daily, with 723 hectares of land at risk of being grabbed every day.

VIOLENCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

Despite government promises and directives from President Museveni to halt evictions, land grabbers have routinely ignored these orders, often resorting to violence. Armed security forces, private militias, and police were reported to have carried out the majority of the evictions.

Of the reported cases, 37 were enforced by armed gangs on behalf of evictors, 25 involved Uganda Police, five were carried out with the participation of UPDF soldiers, and four were linked to private security companies.

“The egregious levels of impunity exhibited by land grabbers have left communities defenseless, creating an environment where their human rights are trampled without consequence,” said Jeff Wokulira Ssebaggala, country director of Witness Radio Uganda.

He called for accountability and justice, warning that the unchecked power of influential individuals and entities leaves marginalized communities vulnerable and without recourse.

DRIVERS OF EVICTIONS: INDUSTRIALIZATION AND LAND-BASED INVESTMENTS

The report identified the government’s push for industrialization and land-based investments as the primary drivers of forced evictions. Land is increasingly targeted for oil and gas extraction, mining, agribusiness and tree plantations for carbon offsets. While some of this land is already under development, other parcels remain vacant but are guarded by military personnel and private security firms.

Ssebaggala emphasized that industrialization must balance economic development with the protection of smallholder farmers’ rights to land and food security.

TRAGIC STORIES

The report highlighted harrowing cases that underscore the human toll of forced evictions. In Nakasongola, smallholder farmer Dan Ssebyala was ambushed and killed by armed men following a confrontation over disputed land. The district has become a hotspot for violent evictions involving absentee landlords and powerful investors.

Ismael Bwowe, a disabled father of 20, recounted how his land was confiscated after he demanded fair compensation. He faced intimidation, arrests and false charges from state authorities, including being accused of robbing an influential individual. Bwowe claimed that Total Energies offered legal support and representation on the condition that he accept their compensation terms.

“I refused,” he said, adding that the pressure to relinquish his land remains intense. The report underscores the urgent need for reforms to address forced evictions, ensure accountability, and protect the rights of vulnerable communities. Without meaningful intervention, Uganda risks deepening inequality and undermining the livelihoods of smallholder farmers who are essential to the country’s food security.

FAMILY JAILED AMID LAND DISPUTE

The plight of Richard Ssebagala, his wife Prossy Namande, and their relative Anania Ngabirano, residents of Kabubu-Kabongo village in Nansana Municipality, Wakiso district, highlights the human toll of Uganda’s ongoing land disputes. The family spent nine months in prison following their arrest on January 10, 2024, under controversial circumstances.

ARREST AND ALLEGATIONS

The arrests occurred at 1am, during a raid by officers from Luweero police station. Police reportedly banged on the doors and forcefully detained the family, accusing them of aggravated robbery. However, the family believes the arrest was a tactic linked to a land dispute with Benon Ntambi, a man who allegedly grabbed their land.

Before the arrests, Ntambi had reportedly destroyed crops, including tomatoes, potatoes, and bananas, on the contested land. While the family was incarcerated, a new building was constructed on their land, which is now occupied, raising further questions about the motivations behind their detention.

CALLS FOR JUSTICE

The case has drawn attention from Witness Radio Uganda, which has urged the government to take immediate action to address land grabbing and illegal evictions. The organization emphasized the need to strengthen land laws and protect vulnerable communities from abuses.

It also called for greater accountability in institutions such as the Uganda Police Force, the army and land registries, which are often accused of corruption and favoritism toward the wealthy.

“The government must prioritize justice for victims of illegal evictions and address systemic corruption that leaves the poor defenseless against land grabbers,” Witness Radio Uganda stated.

BROADER CONTEXT

This case underscores the broader issue of land conflicts in Uganda, where vulnerable families are often caught in disputes with powerful individuals or entities. Advocacy groups warn that the failure to address these issues not only erodes public trust but also perpetuates inequality and injustice.

As the government faces mounting pressure to act, the story of Ssebagala and his family serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for reforms to protect land rights and ensure justice for those impacted by land disputes.

Source: The Observer

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WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

Uganda: Community members violently evicted by security forces, allegedly related to EACOP; incl. co. responses

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On 10 February 2023, more than 2,500 community members were forcibly evicted from their land in Kapapi village in Hoima district in Western Uganda by security forces, receiving no compensation or resettlement.

Witness Radio, an Ugandan non-profit organisation comprised of human rights investigative journalists, lawyers, and social workers, said that many people were wounded during the eviction, women were raped, and houses were destroyed.

Witness Radio said its investigations found that this eviction occurred to clear the path for the Tilenga feeder pipeline, part of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). According to Witness Radio, in 2022 Kapapi community members’ land was surveyed for the Tilenga pipeline and people were informed they would be compensated for the land. Instead, they were forcibly evicted, which Witness Radio allege was backed and financed by Swacoff Intertrade Company Limited, known to TotalEnergies. They also allege that guards from private security company Magnum Security were involved. Witness Radio has also found that dozens of local farmers who were evicted have been arbitrarily arrested and face criminal charges.

The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited TotalEnergies, Swacoff Intertrade Company Limited, and Magnum Security to respond to the allegations. TotalEnergies responded and stated that no land eviction activities had been carried out by or on behalf of TotalEnergies EP Uganda (TEPU) and EACOP Ltd and that none of the affected people are Tilenga or EACOP Project Affected Persons. Swacoff responded and said that the company has never engaged in forceful eviction of any sort and asserts that these allegations are completely false. Their full responses and rejoinders from Witness Radio are available below. Magnum Security did not respond.

Source: Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

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