AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE FRAUDULENT SALE

OF NAMULONGE INSTITUTE LAND

MOST OF UGANDAS AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH

INSTITUTES LAND IS UNDER THREAT. LARGE
CHUNK OF IT HAS BEEN SECRETLY
GIVEN TO INVESTORS.

THE INVESTIGATION EXPOSED THE FRAUDULENT

GIVEAWAY OF NAMULONGE INSTITUTES LAND,
FORCING PRESIDENT MUSEVENI TO DIRECT
GOVERNMENT TO CANCEL THE LAND TITLE GIVEN
TO THE INVESTOR.

THE STORY WAS PUBLISHED IN THE DAILY

MONITOR NEWSPAPER.

BY FARAHANI MUKISA

4 TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2015

national

Controversy. Lands minister insists

the giveaway is in good faith and
is aimed at helping the research
institute meet some of its prospects.
BY FARAHANI MUKISA
fmukisa@ug.nationmedia.com

KAMPALA. President Museveni has

directed the ministry of Lands to
hand over a large chunk of the National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) land at Namulonge,
in Wakiso District, to an investor for
flower growing.
In a March 12, letter to Lands minister Daudi Migereko, the President
said he was giving away part of the
institutes land because the investor
has expressed willingness to work
with the local community.
Mr Museveni said he was approached by Premier Roses Ltd, a
company owned by businessman Sudhir Ruparelia, for large scale flower
growing.
I am, therefore, directing that your
ministry allocates reasonable land
to these investors to cater for their
flower growing and fruit processing
activities, Mr Museveni wrote.
The President, however, said he
was initially hesitant to grant the land
to the investor because flower farming is an elite activity compared to
the benefits the research institute
was giving the peasant farmers in the
community.
Now the investors have indicated
that in addition to flower growing,
they will carry out fruit growing and
processing that can benefit the local
community, the Presidents letter
explains.
More than 80 per cent of the
population draw its livelihood from
agriculture. Despite that, agriculture
contributes less than 25 per cent to
GDP (total value of goods and services produced in the country), which
stands at $21 billion (about Shs76
trillion).
The limited contribution is due to
lack of value addition and the subsistence nature of agriculture. Production has primarily been for consumption rather than for commercial
purpose. As part of modernisation of
agriculture, government initiated the
Naads programme to provide extension services and hybrid inputs.
Its hoped that under the programme, dubbed Operation Wealth
Creation and implemented by the
army, each household will earn at
least Shs20 million annually.
According the Ruparelia Group
website, Premier Roses is listed as
one of the companies of the property
mogul. A brief about the firm shows

BY EPHRAIM KASOZI
ekasozi@ug.nationmedia.com

KAMPALA. The ministry of Lands

has issued cancellation notices to
persons who own more than 50 land
titles in wetlands and central forest
reserves.
The move is in response to the
various testimonies before the Commission of Inquiry into alleged mismanagement of the Uganda National
Roads Authority (UNRA) affairs.
Appearing before the commission
chaired by Justice Catherine Bamugemerire, the commissioner land
registration, Ms Sarah Kulata, said
the ministry has issued cancellation
notices to individuals because the

Daily
D
AILY Monitor
MONITOR

www.monitor.co.ug
WWW.MONITOR.CO.UG

Namulonge institute
land given to Sudhir

search) institutions.
The NaCRRI director, Dr Godfrey
Asea, declined to comment about the
controversial deal, describing the
matter as sensitive.
However, a researcher at the institute, who preferred anonymity to
speak freely, said documents in the
institutes possession indicate that
the giveaway was suspect.
It is shocking how an investor got
a title for the institutes land way back
in 2013 and then goes to the President
in 2015 to seek endorsement for the
project, the researcher said.
The vice chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture,
Ms Huda Oleru, expressed shock at
the development saying its utterly
unbelievable.
This is a training institute that is
serving national interests. How then
can it be given to an investor and yet
we are fighting to save the remaining
public land. We shall fight to the end
to save the institute, Ms Oleru said
yesterday.

REACTIONS

A potato garden at National Crops Resources Research Institute in Namulonge, Wakiso District. PHOTO BY DOMINIC BUKENYA
that Premier Roses is based in Entebbe and exports exclusive roses.
The company claims it focuses on
meeting the high standards of Good
Agricultural Produce (GAP), and
places importance on economic, social and environmental sustainability.
Documents seen by Daily Monitor
show that President Museveni suggested a lease where strict covenants
are made to compel the investor, not
to flout agreed positions.
Subsequently, on June 1, Premier
Roses Ltd was granted a 99-year
lease at an annual premium of Shs22
million, revisable after the first five
years.
Although the President hinted that
the leases are normally 49 years, it is

not clear how, the Lands minister and

Wakiso District Land Board officials
gave Premier Roses Ltd, a lease of 99
years.
The investor was given block 158
plot 651, which measures 357.779
hectares, at a cost of Shs440 million.
The lease also permits the investor
to use the land to erect commercial
buildings and use it for education
purposes.
Lands minister said the directive
was in good faith and aimed at helping the research institute meet some
of its prospects since some of its land
has been idle due to resource deficiencies.
I hope people dont look at the directive with a bad attitude. As a line
minister, my role now is to ensure

WHY NACRRI IS IMPORTANT

NaCRRI, is one of the six national
agricultural research institutes, that are
under the co-ordination of the National
Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO).
NaCRRI is mandated to conduct research
and knowledge generation for; legumes,
cassava, cereals like maize, rice, horticulture
and oil palm, and sweet potatoes. NaCRRI
employs both directly and indirectly

more than 2,000 people. The centre also

benefits at least 10,000 local farmers in
the nearby communities, in addition to it
being a major seedling supplier. It is also a
centre for agriculture students research at
both local and international level. German,
United Kingdom and Japan are among the
countries funding practical research at
NaCRRI.

that the interests of all parties are

catered for without conflict of interest, Mr Migereko said in telephone
interview.
He added that he had had several
meetings with officials from NaCRRI,
ministry of Agriculture, his Permanent Secretary and Premier Roses
Ltd, to ensure that no development
purpose is lost.
I have of recent received a letter
from NaCRRI officials and Im yet to
hold other meetings with all parties
so that several issues are aligned so
that government does not get a raw
deal, Mr Migereko added without
giving details.
Kyaddondo North MP Robert Kasule said the minister assured local
leaders that there was no such a deal
to giveaway the NaCRRI land to an
investor.
Unless Mr Migereko was fooling
us or himself, because as area leaders, we met with him and also met
with Mr Baguma Isoke (Uganda Land
Commission chairman) and both denied any deal to giveaway that land,
Mr Kasule said yesterday.
It is unfortunate for the country
that those in authority cant see the
importance of such (agricultural re-

This is a training institute

that is serving national
interests. How then can it be
given to an investor and yet
we are fighting to save the
remaining public land.
HUDA OLERU, VICE CHAIRPERSON OF THE
PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE

It is unfortunate for the

country that those in authority
cant see the importance of
such (agricultural research)
institutions.
ROBERT KASULE, KYADDONDO NORTH MP

Ministry to cancel titles over wetlands, forests

titles were issued in error.

She said the titles to be cancelled
include those obtained for ownership
of land in Kyewaga, Gunda and Kajjansi on Kampala-Entebbe Expressway as well as Nonve Central Forest
Reserves in Wakiso District.
She added that the ministry has
not issued cancellation notices to
those owning titles in the Lubigi/
Busega wetland because of a pending case between UNRA and Excellent
Assorted Manufacturers Ltd.
The firm owned by businessman
Ephraim Ntaganda sued UNRA seek-

ing for compensation of more than

Shs18 billion for interfering with his
future business.
The department of land registration has perused and issued notices
to cancel all land titles issued in error.
I cannot answer for those officers but
what they did to register land ownership in reserve areas was irregular and illegal, said Ms Kulata who
apologised for exonerating registrars
of titles.
She had earlier told the commission that the registrars of titles are
recorders at the tail end of the land

registration process.
Ms Kulata was answering queries
in regard to multiple registration and
ownership of land on the KampalaEntebbe Expressway that led to payment of Shs5.2 billion to Madhivani
Group of companies for a piece of
land under dispute in courts of law.
The commission heard that some
land on the Spur (Munyonyo section)
had multiple registration but Ms Kulata blamed the anomalies on the land
officers, boards and the surveyor saying they have knowledge about the
land in their respective areas.

Documents presented to the commission indicate that the family of

the late Muwanga Omuwesi holds a
mailo title measuring 306 acres issued in 1915 but UNRA paid the Madhivani Group of companies basing
on Freehold title issued in 1925.
Ms Kulata was also quizzed over
contradictory documents regarding
the cancellation of title in names of
Omuwesi but without date and signature but she insisted the administrators of the Estate of Omuwesi based
on wrong information to claim ownership of the land.

4 FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2015

national

Daily Monitor
Daily

www.monitor.co.ug

Ministers gave me govt land - Sudhir

My story. The businessman says
state ministers for Agriculture and
Investment, and the minister for
Lands raised a no objection to his
companys proposal to lease 900
acres.

BY PATIENCE AHIMBISIBWE
pahimbisibwe@ug.nationmedia.com

BY NELSON WESONGA
nwesonga@ug.nationmedia.com

KAMPALA. Property mogul Sudhir

Ruparelia has said three ministers
approved one of his companies
request to lease government land
belonging to Namulonge National
Crops Resources Research Institute
(NaCCRI), 30km northeast of Kampala.
Responding to Daily Monitors
August 25 story that President Museveni directed that a large chunk of
the NaCCRI be given to an investor,
Mr Ruparelia said state ministers
of Agriculture and Investment, and
the minister for Lands raised a no
objection to his company, Premier
Roses proposal to lease 900 acres.
In a four-page document to Daily
Monitor, the businessman also defended the Namulonge deal, saying
the planned investment would increase Ugandas flower acreage from
the current 170 hectares to more
than 500 hectares, thus increasing
the countrys export earnings from
an average $30m to $120m annually
in four years.
According to Mr Ruparelia, this
would create more 7,000 jobs, up
from the current 12,000.
The Agriculture state minister
gave a no objection and wrote to
the Minister of State for Investment
in the ministry of Finance, seeking
his intervention. Satisfied with our
proposal, the state Finance minister,
in a mid-October [2013] no objection letter wrote to the Lands minister, recommending that our application be considered, purely on its
own merits, he wrote.
It is important to note that on top
of the no objection from the three
ministers (Agriculture, Lands and
Investment) as well as the Uganda
Land Commission, NARO, which is

Halt science
policy, govt
advised

L-R: State ministers Zerubabel Nyiira (Agriculture), Gabriel Ajedra (Investment) and minister Daudi Migereko (Lands) were in office
at the time businessman Sudhir Ruparelia was given the Namulonge land for development. FILE PHOTOS
the user institution, has also given a
green light to the project, he added.
Daily Monitor could not get a comment from Uganda Land Commission (ULC) chairman Baguma Isoke
as repeated calls to his known telephone numbers went unanswered.
Media got it wrong
Mr Ruparelia said the media had
not fully delved into the process
leading to the approval of his companys application, and chose to focus
on the presidential directive.
According to documents seen by
this newspaper, President Museveni
on March 12 directed Lands minister
Daudi Migereko to allocate reasonable land to the investors for their
flower and fruit processing activities.
Mr Ruparelia said the Lands minister as is the procedure, wrote to
the chairman Uganda Land Commission, asking them to evaluate and
consider our proposal.
Though Mr Ruparelia did not name
the ministers, in 2013, Prof Zerubabel Nyiira was the Agriculture state
minister whereas Mr Gabriel Ajedra
Aridru was state minister for Investment.
Prof Nyiira and Mr Ajedras known
cell phones were off by the time we

went to press. When contacted, Finance ministry permanent secretary

Keith Muhakanizi said he did not remember seeing that letter, giving
the no objection.
Mr Aston Kajara, whom Mr Ajedra
succeeded, said the Investment ministry is not in the habit of giving out
land. In March 2014, Mr Ajedra told
journalists that the Uganda Investment Authority had developed land
allocation criteria, which would be
used to allocate land to all deserving
investors in industrial parks.
One criterion was that the investors who would have been allocated
free land would have to provide a
bank or insurance bond equivalent
to 10 per cent of the value of the
leased land.
Another was that within 18
months from the date of allocation,

ABOUT INSTITUTE
NaCCRI is one of the six national
agricultural research institutes that are
under the coordination of the National
Agricultural Research Organisation.
NaCCRI is mandated to conduct research
on legumes, cassava, cereals like
maize,rice,horticulture,and palm oil and
sweet potatoes.

the investor should have started developing the land. Should he or she
fail, the lease would elapse.
There would be no change of
shareholder for the three years and
no transfer of land. By press time, Mr
Migereko had not yet responded to
our request for an explanation of his
side of the story.
According to documents seen by
this newspaper, whereas President
Museveni had directed that Mr Ruparelias company be given a 49
year lease, the period was altered to
99 years. It is not clear who exactly
made the alteration and for what
reason.
However, according to some accounts, there is neither a Memorandum of Understanding nor a Public
Private Partnership agreement between NaCCRI and Mr Ruparelias
company.
On Wednesday, current state minister for Agriculture Vincent Ssempijja defended the decision to lease
the land to Premier Roses.
We need horticulture to earn foreign exchange. Whether it is Sudhir,
Ssempijja or Mukasa who cultivates
the flowers, it doesnt matter. They
would all aim at providing people
with jobs, he told journalists at
Parliament.

KAMPALA. The Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC) has asked government to halt the science policy in
secondary schools until it is prepared
to provide science teachers and
equipment in all institutions.
Rev Fr John Byamukama, the UJCC
education programme officer, made
the remarks following a report by the
Directorate of Education Standards
(DES) indicating that many schools
continued to perform poorly in the
science subjects because they lack
equipment, laboratories and science
teachers.
Fr Byamukama added that the policy instead was widening the gap between the rich and poor. He explained
that children from rich families who
go to schools with science equipment
and teachers post better results in national examinations that enable them
to pursue science courses, while the
poor continue to be disadvantaged.
The policy should be stopped for a
moment until we are ready to implement the science policy, Fr Byamukama said at the 12th Education sector review early this week.
But Mr Huzaifa Mutazindwa, the
director DES, said stopping the policy
will be suicidal.
To stop implementing the science
policy until we have enough money
is not realistic. That will be suicidal.
If we wait, we can never be able to
start. We realised we have issues on
the way we chose to take but we will
sort them as we proceed, Mr Mutazindwa explained.
Education minister Jessica Alupo
also insisted the science policy should
be promoted to encourage more candidates for economic development.
She explained that the more students pursue science courses, the
more government will be pressured
to invest in higher institutions of
learning which have limited space.

Former UNRA bosses quizzed over fuel fraud

BY EPHRAIM KASOZI
ekasozi@ug.nationmedia.com

KAMPALA. Three former officials of the

Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA)
were yesterday quizzed over their role in the
alleged fraudulent fuel procurements.
Interdicted UNRA director of finance and
administration Joe Ssemugooma, former administration manager Patrick Muhumuza and
former transport manager John Ssejjemba
separately appeared before the commission
of inquiry investigating the alleged mismanagement of UNRA affairs to answer queries
that they procured fuel without following
proper procedures.
The former UNRA officials denied wrongdoing and Mr Ssemugooma apportioned
blame to his juniors (Mr Muhumuza and Mr
Ssejjemba) whom he accused of approving
invoices for payment.
The questioning of the trio was based on
an internal audit report which revealed that
Shs1.4 billion was paid by UNRA for fuel which

was never consumed and/ or supplied.

Asked whether the procurement of fuel and
lubricants was in accordance with the law, Mr
Ssemugooma declined to respond, insisting
that he needed his lawyer to help interpret
the procurement law.
Documents presented before the commission indicate that Mr Ssemugooma committed
UNRA to spend billions of shillings through
signing agreements without authority of the
executive director.
My Lord, the funds were released basing
on documents approved by the transport officer and the administration manager. Each
unit had a way of doing their work. To me, it
was a question of responsible people to approve and money was paid, said Mr Ssemugooma.
This prompted the judge to ask; Would you
believe it? to which he did not reply.
Meanwhile, the commission has summoned
station managers and engineers to explain
how fuel for their respective stations was
drawn from different places.

AUGUST 30, 2015 3

national

Sunday Monitor

www.monitor.co.ug

Namulonge land given away before Balunywa

rushes
to
Cabinet decision, says Migereko

summons

Not aware. The minister said he was

surprised when his colleague reported
in Cabinet that the land had already
been allocated to Mr Sudhir.
BY FARAHANI MUKISA
fmukisa@ug.nationmedia.com

BY ANTHONY WESAKA
awesaka@ug.nationmedia.com

KAMPALA. Cabinet had halted the

giveaway of Namulonge National
Crop Resource Research Institute
(NaCRRI) land, which was handed to
property mogul Sudhir Ruparelia for
flower farming, Sunday Monitor has
established.
On March 18, 2014, the Minister of
Lands, Mr Daudi Migereko, wrote to
the Uganda Land Commission (ULC)
chairman, Mr Baguma Isoke, expressing shock that the Namulonge land
had been approved for transfer to Mr
Sudhir, yet Cabinet had stayed the
giveaway.
Mr Migereko said he had discussed
the matter with the ministers of Agriculture, Investment and the National
Agricultural Research Organsiation
(NARO) and Mr Isoke, to suspend any
decision on Namulonge land to allow
proper consultations.
I guided during that meeting that
no decision be taken on this matter
until consultations had taken place involving NARO, Mr Migereko wrote.

KAMPALA. The Principal of Makerere University Business School

(MUBS), Prof Waswa Balunywa, on
Thursday rushed to court following
witness summons issued against
him to appear and defend himself
against a petition challenging his
appointment to the job.
Prof Balunywa appeared before
Justice Benjamin Kabiito of the
High Court on Thursday, although
his lawyers did not cross- examine
the petitioner, Dr James Akampumuza who is challenging his appointment.
You are summoned to appear at
the hearing of this suit fixed for the
28th day of August, 2015, at 9am.
Your attendance is required to give
evidence read in part the court
summons to Prof Balunywa.
During Thursdays session, Dr
Akampumuza, a lecturer at the same
institution, concluded submission
of his evidence against his boss regarding allegations of abuse of office, corruption and serving illegally
as MUBS principal.
Justice Kabiito set September 28
and 30 for Prof Balunywa to defend
himself against the petition.
Dr Akampumuza alleges that Prof
Balunywa irregularly used an official
letterhead of the office of the principal on a non-working day (Sunday)
to write an application for renewal
of his contract. He claims that the
renewal of Prof Balunywas contract
was irregular because the job was
not advertised for other applicants
and that there is no legal provision for renewal of his contract. He
further alleges that Prof Balunywa
lacks the requisite qualifications for
the job.
Prof Balunywa is jointly sued with
MUBS, Attorney General, Education
Service Commission and former
Makerere University vice chancellor, Prof Venansius Baryamureeba,
chairman of the MUBS board.

Migereko surprised
I was taken by surprise when my
colleague [Ms Aidah Nantaba] reported in Cabinet that this land has
already been allocated without a
feedback from the user department
[NARO], let alone without any further discussions on this matter with
other key stakeholders, Mr Migereko
added in his letter to Mr Isoke.
In the letter, Mr Migereko requested
Mr Isoke to update him on the current
status of Namulonge land, cautioning
him against defying the Cabinet resolution.
Your constitutional powers over
land notwithstanding, Cabinet also
directed that land allocation be stayed
until further guidance is provided,
Mr Migereko told Isoke.
However, on September 5, 2014, referring to President Musevenis previous letter of August 5, 2014, Mr Migereko wrote to Mr Isoke telling him to

BY ANTHONY WESAKA
awesaka@ug.nationmedia.com

KAMPALA. A city lawyer has been

acquitted of fraud charges brought
against him by his former boss in a
law firm.
Mr Arthur Murangira had been
accused of embezzling Shs138m belonging to his former employer and a
fellow lawyer, Andrew Kasirye.
Mr Kasirye, one of the partners of
the law firm, had told court that Mr
Murangira privately received money
from a client that was meant for the
company.
The prosecution had stated that
between March 11, 2011 and November 2012, while being employed by

A man rides through the gates of National Crops Resources Research Institute in Namulonge, whose land was given to
businessman Sudhir Ruparelia, for a flower growing project. PHOTO BY DOMINIC BUKENYA
implement the presidential directive
and brief him on the progress in two
weeks.
In the August 5 letter, Mr Museveni had rejected Mr Migerekos
proposal to give away the land for
flower growing. Museveni argued
that a similar proposal by a previous
investor, who wanted the land for tomato growing, had been rejected by
the Uganda Land Commission.
I do not approve of giving Namulonge land to a flower grower
because flowers do not have back
and forward linkages like tomato
processing or using that land for its
original purpose of cotton research,

THE LAW
The National Agricultural Research Act
2015, a law that establishes NARO,
mandates that any land managed by
NARO is under the guidance of the bodys
Governing Council and the Director.

Mr Museveni told Migereko in the

August 5 letter.
However, in March, Mr Museveni
changed his earlier position and recommended that the land be given
away for flower growing.
On March 12, Mr Museveni wrote
to Mr Migereko telling him he had
changed his earlier position on the
land transfer.
He recommended that Premier
Roses be given the land on a 49-year
lease. However, the company has
since been given the land on a 99year lease effective from June 1.
Premier Roses is part of the Ruparelia Group, owned by Mr Sudhir.
While defending the Namulonge
land deal in Daily Monitor on Friday,
Mr Sudhir said he was given the land
by three ministers, including State
minister for Agriculture, Lands and
minister for Investment, as well as
NARO, who gave letters of no objection.
Documents this newspaper has

seen show that NARO council chairperson was opposed to the land giveaway and often expressed discomfort over the deal.
Mr Isoke, however, on Friday said
he is not aware of what the ministers
were referring to that was passed by
the Cabinet. There was no such a
Cabinet decision regarding Namulonge land giveaway. Let them produce the Cabinet paper where it is
filed. At least I am not aware of it,
he said by telephone.
NARO director general, Dr Ambrose
Agona, declined to comment on the
matter. However, a source challenged
Mr Sudhir to produce evidence that
NARO agreed to the deal.
NARO is the rightful owner of the
Namulonge land and any final approval must be from its governing
council and the Parliament and not
from any ministers or the Uganda
Land Commission, said the source
who preferred to remain anonymous.

City lawyer acquitted of fraud

Kasirye, Byaruhanga Co Advocates,
Mr Murangira stole Shs63 million,
which he received or took to his
possession for or on account of his
employer.
In count two, the prosecution
stated that Mr Murangira between
March 18, 2012 and October 2012,
stole $30,000 (about Shs100m) he
received on the account of his employer but took into his personal
possession.
Murangira denied the allegations
and insisted he had received the

money for legal services he had personally rendered to the client.

Justice Lawrence Gidudu of the
Anti-Corruption Court observed
that the law firm where Mr Murangira worked, did not adduce evidence regarding any invoices that
were to be paid to it.
The ruling
The judge observed that this kind
of dispute of an employee using the
companys facilities to do private
work would have been resolved un-

der a civil case against Mr Murangira and not a criminal trial.

He observed that in absence of
the evidence of Mr Sanjay Patel, the
client who engaged Mr Murangira
for his private work, renders the
charges against the accused mere
speculation.
The law firms remedy lies in
the civil action and not the criminal
prosecution. I therefore find that the
accused is not guilty of embezzlement on both counts and I acquit
him, the judge held.

Prof Waswa Balunywa.

6 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

national

Daily Monitor
Daily

www.monitor.co.ug

KCCA orders buses to vacate disputed Qualicel park NARO denies

BY ANDREW BAGALA
abagala@ug.nationmedia.com

KAMPALA. Kampala Capital City

Authority (KCCA) has ordered all
buses to vacate Qualicel Bus Park in
two months time following endless
property wrangles between two businessmen running the park.
Mr Charles Muhangi of Horizon
Coaches Company and Mr Drake
Lubega have been battling in court
over ownership of plot 43 to 47 on
Nakivubo Road on which the building
and the bus park, formerly known as
Baganda Bus Park, are situated. The
authority said it is aimed at giving

time to the duo to sort out their differences without hindering the city
revenue collections.
The duo has been running the bus
park interchangeably depending on
different government institutions.
In a letter written by KCCA to the
Transport Licencing Board (TLB), the
authority said bus operators should
not be given licences to operate at the
bus park.
Mr John Mutenda, the chairman
of Transport Licensing Board, acknowledged receiving the letter and
said they were complying with the
directive.
They have given you three months

to organise yourself and get alternatives. We are not going to renew route
charts for buses operating within the
Qualicel Bus Park, Mr Mutenda told
bus owners in Kampala yesterday.
However, Mr Lubega said KCCA
had no right to intervene in civil matters and there was no way they affect
their work.

BUS OWNERS IN A FIX

Bus owners said the alternative parks
suggested by KCCA will affect their
businesses since there are no people who
can walk up to the suggested parks away
from the city centre.

If I have a problem with someone, is it KCCA work to stop my clients from operating in an area? They
wrote to the Attorney General and he
told them that they have no right to
intervene in civil matters, he said.
The wrangle stems back in 1993
after Mr Muhangi and his colleagues
paid Shs1b to the then Kampala City
Council to manage the bus park.
Mr Mutenda said KCCA had given
alternative parks in Bwaise and Nateete for the bus owners.
The TLB secretary, Mr Winstone
Katushabe, said KCCA also informed
them that illegal bus parks such as
Arua Park had been closed.

Gen Katumba
rushes to Somalia
Security. Chief of Defence Forces
is there to assess the situation after
al-Shabaab attacked a UPDF base.

BY RISDEL KASAIRA
rkasasira@ug.nationmedia.com

KAMPALA. The Chief of Defence

Forces, Gen Katumba Wamala, yesterday flew to Mogadishu to meet
UPDF commanders, a day after Somali insurgents attacked a Ugandan
army base, killing unspecified number of soldiers.
Lt Gen Charles Angina, his deputy,
said Gen Katumba arrived in Mogadishu yesterday morning. He (is there)
to assess the security situation and
will be coming back as soon as possible, Lt Gen Angina said.
The Ministry of Defence and the
African Union were still tightlipped
on the number of soldiers killed, but
various reports in international media give different death figures.
Quoting Western sources, CNN
yesterday reported that 45 soldiers,
including Somalis, were killed in
fighting to repulse the attackers on
Tuesday morning.

The insurgents claimed on Tuesday

they had killed at least 50 soldiers in
Janaale, the area under Uganda Battle
Group 14.
Lt Gen Angina said they were still
working with African Union Mission
in Somalia before they release the
number of the dead and their identities.
The deputy army spokesperson,
Maj Henry Obbo, described both the
figures as propaganda by al-Shabaab.
Propaganda
Thats al-Shabaabs method of
work. They exaggerate figures in the
battlefield to create a false situation.
They are just doing propaganda, Maj
Obbo said.
Military sources in Kampala say
nine were killed and five injured.
Sources in Somalia say the attackers could be part of the jihadists fleeing Ethiopian troops in Gedo region
and are now moving towards areas
controlled by Ugandan forces in the
south of Mogadishu.
Al-Shabaab has stepped up hit-andrun raids as a tactic to fight Amisom.

Chief of Defence Forces Katumba Wamala addresses the UPDF soldiers early this
year. PHOTO BY DOMINIC BUKENYA

ce over membership
BY YASIIN MUGERWA
ymugerwa@ug.nationmedia.com

KAMPALA. As nomination deadline

for returning forms by NRM party aspirants approaches, the four expelled
party MPs are losing patience after
the partys top organ advised them to
seek President Museveni intervention
in order to formalise their return.
Lawmakers Theodore Ssekikubo
(Lwemiyaga), Wilfred Niwagaba
(Ndorwa East), Muhammad Nsereko
(Kampala Central) and Barnabas Tinkasiimire (Buyaga East) resolved to
storm the party headquarters at Plot
10, Kyadondo Road today to present
their credentials for nomination.
The litmus test for NRM is membership and we are fully registered
members in the yellow book and we

have party cards. The rest is mere

semantics shrouded in insincerity
of some members of CEC [Central
Executive Committee] who want to
contest in 2016 elections, Mr Ssekikubo said.
Sources told Daily Monitor that the
Monday CEC meeting resolved that
the MPs return to the President to
finalise their return ahead of the Friday deadline for the nominations.
This decision was verbally communicated to them by the party secretary general, Ms Justine Lumumba.
Other sources told this newspaper
that two CEC members [Mr Dennis
Namara, who is eyeing Mr Barnabas
Tinkasiimires seat and Mr Francis
Babu who wants Mr Muhammad
Nserekos constituency] protested
their return.

When contacted, Mr Babu, the NRM

chairman for Kampala, confirmed
that CEC discussed the fate of rebel
MPs but denied blocking their return
to the party, citing blackmail.

We met the President and resolved

our differences and the secretary
general wrote to us. There is no
need of meeting the President again
because as a party chairman, he can
take any action for the good of the
party,
BARNABAS TINKASIIMIRE, BUYAGA EAST MP
Without delving into the details
since CEC proceedings are held behind closed doors, Mr Babu said when
the President tabled the matter before CEC, members resolved that the

process be followed and the party

chairman promised to meet the four
expelled MPs.
CEC has 25 people, how can Babu
and Namara block their return to the
party? Mr Babu asked.
Its just that there are certain procedures that must be followed and I
have not been to their negotiations
with the party chairman. Namara and
all other members of CEC spoke. The
President said they should return but
we resolved that the process must be
followed.
The standoff came after Ms Lumumba on August 20 wrote to the
NRM branch chairpersons in the
four constituencies informing them
about the decision of the party to allow the four expelled MPs to rejoin
the party.

role in Sudhir
land deal
BY FREDERIC MUSISI
musisif@ug.nationmedia.com

KAMPALA. The National Agricultural Research Organisation

(NARO) has dismissed reports that
businessman Sudhir Ruparelia is
set to take over part of its land for
flower growing.
The land is fully utilised and
there is no undeveloped bushy
part, the press statement seen by
this newspaper reads in part.
NARO management represented by the director general,
who is the organisations accounting officer, has never formally or
informally given green light or a
no objection to the reallocation
and sub-titling of the said land as
reported.
According to media reports last
week, and directives from President Museveni, the 1,000 acres of
land in Namulonge, Wakiso District, were leased out to Premier
Roses, Mr Ruparelias company.
The director general, Dr Ambrose Agona, told Daily Monitor
that the statement and its contents reflects the position of NARO
management.
In the statement, NARO has a
lawfully registered interest in the
land and as the rightful user of the
land never interacted with Premier
Roses, its directors, agents or employees in this regard nor entered
into any Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the land.
Cabinet hand
Later developments, however,
indicated Cabinet had halted the
giveaway of the said land, but according to the businessman, three
ministers approved his companys
request for the land.
In an article circulated to media, Mr Ruparelia said the Uganda
Land Commission and ministers
approved a five-year lease term,
extendable to full form. This was
on condition that we enter into a
MoU with NARO on how to sustainably develop the project for
the mutual benefit of both institutions, he wrote.
He further expressed optimism
to closing this process and developing this project in line with the
laws of Uganda and in the mutual
interest of NARO.

OTHER CLAIMANTS

he same land is being claimed by the

Church of Uganda and
the administrators of
the Mbazira Kitamirike
estate, who say they only
leased out the land to
the then British colonial
government for 99 years.
Makerere veterinary college also claims the land
was leased to it by government in 2007.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015 5

national

Daily Monitor
Daily

www.monitor.co.ug

Makerere claims Namulonge land

Contested. Documents show that
the same land leased to Sudhir
Ruparelia was also leased to the
universitys college of veterinary
medicine.

BY YASIIN MUGERWA
ymugerwa@ug.nationmedia.com

BY FARAHANI MUKISA
fmukisa@ug.nationmedia.com

KAMPALA. Government gave out

the Namulonge agricultural research institute land it leased to
property mogul Sudhir Ruparelia
to Makerere Universitys College
of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio-Security in 2007,
Daily Monitor has established.
Documents seen by this newspaper show that President Museveni on July 25, 2007, directed then
Education minister Namirembe
Bitamazire to allocate Plot 9, Block
158, in Nakyesasa, Namulonge, to
the college for upgrading into a regional veterinary college.
Daily Monitor last week broke
a story where the President, in a
March 12 letter, directed Lands
minister Daudi Migereko to give
1,000 acres of the land to Mr Ruparelias company, Premier Roses,
for flower growing and fruit processing.
But the same piece of land belongs to the National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCCRI), Namulonge, with the National
Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) as the custodian.
Museveni letter
In the July 25, 2007 letter that
handed over Namulonge to Makerere, President Museveni said he
had had several discussions with
the university management and
that the latter suggested that they
would upgrade the then Faculty
of Veterinary Medicine into a regional veterinary college.
Furthermore, the issue of Nakyesasa Farm to be allocated to
the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
was discussed and I agreed that it
should be allocated to them for
teaching purpose and research,

Govt asked
to name DRC
looters

A potato garden on the contested National Crops Resources Research Institute land in Namulonge, Wakiso District.
PHOTO BY DOMINIC BUKENYA

Mr Musevenis letter read in part.

You should, therefore, liaise
with the Ministry of Agriculture,
Animal Industry and Fisheries to
effect this transfer unless there are
strong reasons why that should not
be so, the letter added.
The college dean, Dr David Kabasa, when contacted, said he was
travelling and could not comment,
referring this reporter to NARO director general Ambrose Agona.
Dr Agona said the land belongs
to NARO although it is hosting
Makerere projects as per the Presidents directive.
He said after the transfer of the
Nakyesasa land to Makerere University, a presidential initiative SPEDA-AFRISA - was established
in order to establish a regional college of veterinary excellence.
Currently, we are hosting several projects managed by the veterinary faculty and a number of
projects aimed at improving quality of animal production, said Dr
Agona. Asked what could have

caused the Presidents change of

heart to give the same land to Mr
Ruparelia, Minister for Presidency
Frank Tumwebaze said the President is not against any development or research.
Minister speaks out
President Museveni is a promoter of science. His directives are
purely deliberate and policy strategic decisions to woo and motivate
investors, no other motives, Mr
Tumwebaze said on Monday.
We have many instances where
such directives have yielded good
results; a good example is Garden
City. The President directs ministers to act within the law and if
there are local administrative issues [misinforming of the Presi-

BACKGROUND
Mr Ruparelia last week told Daily Monitor
that three ministers approved one of his
companies request to lease the land.

dent], then those concerned ministers should sit and harmonise

these matters, he added.
Education minister Jessica Alupo declined to comment on the
matter, saying she did not have any
information.
Meanwhile, the family of the
late Mbaziira Katamirike, which
leased the NaCRRI land to the British government in 1945, has said
Mr Ruparelia has no business over
the land unless the current lease is
terminated or expires, and he applies for it from their family. The
running lease expires in 2045.
If government gave Sudhir this
land, then he was given air. This is
our land, part of which measuring 2,200 acres, was leased to the
British government for cotton research, Mr Michael Kitamirike, a
family member, said in an interview yesterday.
Mr Kitamirike said they would
seek court redress should government proceed and lease the land to
Mr Ruparelia.

PARLIAMENT. Government was yesterday

asked to name the perpetrators of atrocities and the plunder of natural resources in
the DR Congo, which has now led to a Shs80
trillion war reparations demand from the
neighbouring country.
MPs also voiced fears that Uganda could
be mortgaged for failure to pay reparations for crimes committed in the DR Congo
by Ugandan troops and other officials.
Rubaga South MP Ken Lukyamuzi and
other lawmakers, quoting an August 27
Daily Monitor story, demanded to know
who was behind the plunder of DRC.
We would like to know the people who
committed these atrocities in DRC and how
we are going to pay DRC before our country
is mortgaged, Mr Lukyamuzi said.
He added: Our country is about to be
mortgaged and none of us can afford to pay
Shs82.8 trillion because we are one of the
poorest nations.
Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah then
asked acting Leader of Government Business Ruth Nankabirwa to explain DRCs
$23.5 billion claim.
Uganda as a sovereign country has a
system of facing challenges like the one
Hon Lukyamuzi put on table. This country
will not be mortgaged. We have alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to deal
with these matters, Ms Nankabirwa told
the House.

WHAT THEY WANT

Daily Monitor reported last week that talks
between Uganda and DRC about the disputed
reparations for plunder and atrocities committed
by top Ugandan government and military
officials collapsed after the two sides failed to
overcome hurdles to a final agreement. Solicitor
General Francis Atoke told the Public Accounts
Committee last week that talks hit a snag after
the DRC government demanded $23.5b (about
Shs82.8 trillion) for the plunder of its resources
and compensation for atrocities committed yet
Uganda had offered $25m (about Shs88.12b) in
reparations. .

SEPTEMBER 5, 2015 3

national

Saturday Monitor

www.monitor.co.ug

Katumba visits wounded

UPDF soldiers in hospital
BY RISDEL KASASIRA
rkasasira@ug.nationmedia.com

KAMPALA. The UPDF Chief of Defence

Forces, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, on
Thursday flew from Mogadishu to Nairobi
to visit Ugandan soldiers wounded in the
al-Shabaab attack.
A statement issued by the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces yesterday said Gen
Katumba visited 10 wounded soldiers at
Karen Hospital where they were admitted
with serious injuries.
UPDF is humbled by the brotherly
and professional care the government
and people of Kenya have given to our
troops who get injured in combat since
we started operating under Amison, the
statement quotes Gen Wamala as saying.

KCCA probes
staff over
school land sale
BY FARAHANI MUKISA
fmukisa@ug.natiomedia.com

KAMPALA. The Kampala Capital

City Authority (KCCA) executive

director has appointed a committee to investigate staff for alleged
fraudulent sale of Nakivubo Settlement Primary School property.
Ms Jennifer Musisi set the probe
after a tip-off from a whistleblower
that the school had lost most of its
buildings and a large chunk of land
at the hands of the unscrupulous
senior KCCA staff.
The KCCA management set up
an investigation team to inquire
into the management conflicts at
Nakivubo Settlement P/S. In order
to fulfil its [committees] mandate,
the investigations team seeks to interface with principal actors in the
school to understand the current
challenges at the school and make
recommendations to KCCA management for appropriate action,
Ms Musisi wrote to the school management on August 7.
The KCCA spokesperson, Mr Peter Kaujju, said the probe followed
several allegations of fraudulent
sale of the schools property.
Theres an ongoing investigation
into mismanagement of schools [in
Kampala] including properties of
the Nakivubo Settlement Primary
School, Mr Kaujju said yesterday.
He, however, declined to give details about the investigations saying they were waiting for the probe
team to do its work and give its
findings.

BACKGROUND
Parliament recently released a report into
sale of KCCA schools and recommended
that the Inspector General of Government
probes KCCA for alleged role in the sale of
Nabagereka Primary School.

Three soldiers are said to be in critical

condition but others are recuperating.
The injured are in a steady condition
although some are quite critical, the
statement said.
The al-Shabaab attack on the UPDF base
in Janaale, south of Mogadishu on Tuesday, has revived debate on the need to use
military helicopters to bolster Amisom
operations against al-Shabaab militants.
It would be much easier if we had the
helicopters because they are a force multiplier. We would be performing much better in terms of surveillance and engaging
the enemy from source, said Maj Henry
Obbo, the deputy spokesperson.
Last month, the UPDF spokesperson,
Lt Col Paddy Ankunda, said the army was
planning to deploy attack helicopters in
the Somalia operations.

Ugandas Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, visits wounded UPDF soldiers at Karen Hospital, Nairobi,
Kenya on Thursday. PHOTO BY MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

Sudhir loses Namulonge land

Public land. Ministry of Lands says
there was no direct consent to allocation of Namulonge land by Naro or
ministry of Agriculture.
BY FREDERIC MUSISI
musisif@ug.nationmedia.com

KAMPALA. The Ministry of Lands

has moved to cancel the land title
for 900 acres of Namulonge National
Crops Resources Research Institute,
which had been given to city property mogul Sudhir Ruparelia for
flower growing.
The land is part of the 3,300
acres owned by the National Crops
Resources Research Institute, Namulonge, an affiliate of the National
Agricultural Research Organisation
(Naro). The statement issued by the
ministry spokesperson Dennis Obbo,
said while President Museveni had
directed them to consider allocating some of the land to Mr Sudhirs
company Premier Roses Limited,
the giveaway was expedited by the
Uganda Land Commission (ULC)
without involving other stakeholders.
The allocation to Premier Roses
Limited of all the available land at
Namulonge field station was in direct contradiction to the directive of
the President, which had clearly laid
out three beneficiaries of the land,
the ministry said in the statement.
There were no negotiations with
the concerned government institutions as was guided by the responsible minister. There was, therefore,
no specific and direct consent to the
allocation by either Naro or its parent, the Ministry of Agriculture, the
ministry further states.
The statement mentions that the
President had also directed the ministry to consider giving some land
at Namulonge to a Mrs Bagalaliwo,
for tomato farming and processing,
but to ensure adequate land is left
for Namulonge institute to continue
with its research programmes.

The ministry said President Musevenis directives were that all the
considered allocations should be on
lease basis not exceeding 49 years
to avoid permanently depriving government of its land.
The leases were to be accompanied by strict covenants, which
would compel the investors to fulfil
their part of the agreement, failure
of which would lead to the loss of the
leases.
Accordingly, the commissioner
Land Registration has given notice
to Premier Roses of the Registrys
intention to have the title issued
over LRV 4542 Folio 4 on Kyadondo
Block 158 Plot 651 at Namulonge
cancelled, the ministry said in the
statement.
According to media reports, ULC
on June 22 this year gave the said

Mr Sudhir Ruparelia.
PHOTO BY JOSEPH KIGGUNDU

land to Sudhirs Premier Roses on a

lease of five years to be extended to
99 years, contrary to the Presidents
directive.
Mr Obbo said an inter-ministerial
committee of the stakeholder government institutions has been set up
to re-negotiate the terms and considerations with Naro to enable al-

location to the proposed investors.

While defending the Namulonge
land deal in Daily Monitor last week,
Mr Sudhir said he was given the land
by three ministers, including State
minister for Agriculture, Lands and
minister for Investment, as well as
Naro, who gave letters of no objection to the venture.
The Naro director general, Dr Ambrose Agona, told this newspaper on
Wednesday that they were not involved in the process of allocating
the land to Premier Roses. He said all
the said land at Namulonge is under
use. Naros senior management said
in a statement that the land alleged
to be idle hosts several crop research
projects supported by World Bank,
Melinda and Gates Foundation and
the Japanese Government Overseas
Development Agency.

20 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 2015

feature

Daily
D
AILY Monitor
MONITOR

www.monitor.co.ug
WWW.MONITOR.CO.UG

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 2015 21

feature

Daily
D
AILY Monitor
MONITOR

www.monitor.co.ug
WWW.MONITOR.CO.UG

Namulonge: The food crop nucleus of Uganda

Workers in
one of the trial
gardens at
the National
Crop Resource
Research
Institute,
Namulonge.
PHOTO BY DOMINIC
BUKENYA

The National Crop Resource

Research Institute is
responsible for generating
and improving seeds that are
used by farmers nationwide
for better crop yields. We
visited the centre that is in
the news over part of its land
being given to an investor
to assess its significance to
agriculture in the country.
BY FARAHANI MUKISA
fmukisa@ug.nationmedia.com

bout 25km from Kampala is the

National Crop Resource Research Institute (NaCRRI), Namulonge, that has been in the news
over part of its land being leased to
an investor.
Namulonge is described as Ugandas food crop nucleus, in the agricultural scientists circles.
The centre, according to the NaCRRI principal research officer, Dr
Titus Alicai is a place where most of
the seeds that Ugandan farmers plant
in their gardens come from.
Dr Alicai observes that for every
government agricultural programme
designed to benefit farmers nationally, all the seed varieties delivered to
farmers are developed and multiplied
at NaCRRI.
Sixty per cent of farmers in Uganda
grow seeds generated and improved
at NaCRRI, says Dr Alicai. Entities
like Operation Wealth Creation and

the defunct Naads scheme, all get the

seeds that they distribute from here.
It is why we call it the countrys food
crop nucleus, he elaborates.
History of the research institute
Established in 1947 under the British Protectorate government, the
institute was until 1972 conducting
research on cotton for the colonial
masters empire, benefitting countries in Africa and India.
However, Dr Alicai says when President Idi Amins regime took over the
institute, the principal role of cotton
research shifted to include research
in and production of animal pasture.
Sitting on 2,200 acres of land, NaCRRI was among the best pasture
producing centres between 1973 and
1980. However, when the National
Agricultural Research (NAR) Act was
passed in 2005, the centres research
tasks completely changed.
Better Quality crops
According to Dr Gadi Gumisiriza,
the chairman of NaCRRIs advisory
committee, Uganda being a predominantly agricultural country, the institute had to shift focus to what he calls
food crops of strategic importance
because of their key roles for food,
employment and household incomes
in Uganda.
Currently, the institute has centred on research in crops that are
predominantly grown by the majority of Ugandan farmers. We modify
such seeds to ensure there is value
addition for higher yields and better
quality, observes Dr Gumisiriza.
Dr Alicai explains that these crops
of strategic importance including root tubers such as cassava and

sweet potatoes, adding that they are

soon introducing a yam research programme due to its value and richness
in vitamins.
After developing the seeds, Dr
Alicai says crops are grown within
the centre to test their viabilities before being distributed to farmers. He
notes that with the climate change
worldwide, the centre has already
started developing drought and disease resistant food crops.
As a result, many people, and especially seed companies, come and
buy these improved seeds, take them
for multiplication and the chain expands to the end farmer in the villages.
Among other research programmes being housed at NaCRRI
is legumes research that entails improving beans and soya qualities plus
cereal research that caters for maize
and rice.
Citing an example, Dr Alicai observed that Nerica rice, which was
promoted countrywide by former
vice president Gilbert Bukenya, is
one of the improved rice varieties
that have been developed at Namulonge.
NacRRI has in the recent years
started a programme in horticulture
that includes exotic vegetables and
fruits such as mangoes and palm oil
research.
This research basically aims at
adding value to local seeds by marrying local with exotic seed varieties
to get the best for our local farmers,
he says.
When we visited, workers were
engrossed in their duties, with some
picking soya beans and others carrying out tests in the laboratories.

eesa, a regular client at NaCRRI

where he buys animal feeds, when
the centre started investing in
exotic pastures that they initially
imported from Kenya and other
countries, it was a relief to their
business.
The benefits we get are obvious. We now directly buy some
of the previously expensive nutritious pastures such as Lablab
purpureus, Chloris gayana and
Zea Mays (corn silage) from NaCRRI, which has saved us the burden of importation, Capt Kaweesa says.
Dr Gumisiriza observes that
the centre also generates at least
Shs5.9b annually from forage
production fields. In addition,
there is a proposed hub that will
provide superior dairy heifers to
farmers at a competitive price.

The farm manager, Mr Kiggundu, says that whereas some of the land may look
abandoned, it is actually being utilised for pasture trial fields.

Utilise free
sources of
information

MAKING UGANDA A FOOD

BASKET IN THE REGION
With the 2012 Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) statistics putting Ugandas agricultural land at 71.2 per cent
and the arable land (actively under use) at only 34.3 per
cent, this is an image that scientists at NaCRRI are fighting to erase. Uganda National Bureau of Statistics blames
this low utilisation of agricultural land on farmers who
attach low importance to agriculture because of the poor
harvests.
Farouk Mulindwa, a commercial farmer in Wakiso District, says improved crops varieties are helping in yielding better harvests, thanks to NaCRRI.
Now with climate change hitting hard all over the
world, we are aiming at developing drought and disease
resistant seeds to benefit our farmers who suffer the end
results of changes in climate, notes Dr Alicai.
With improvement of crop varieties like maize that
were enhanced at NaCRRI, Uganda has been able to post
surplus maize harvests, leading to 60 per cent maize
exports to neighbouring countries and earning Uganda
$50m in 2013, according to the 2014 Bank of Uganda report.
Earlier in 2012, a Uganda Revenue Authority report indicated that development and promotion of new adapted
rice varieties (released by the NaCRRI), has increased rice
production. This significantly reduced rice imports saving the country approximately $30m.
Other tangible benefits of NaCRRI include the battle
scientists launched against cassava mosaic disease that
almost wiped out cassava in the 1990s, yet this root tuber
is an important food security crop in Uganda.

TRIAL FARMLANDS
A drive within the research
centre, shows large stretches of
research trial farmlands of mangoes, sweet potatoes, hay, cassava and bananas, among other
food crops.
Whereas one could think that
part of the centres vast expanse
of land is not utilised, Robert
Kiggundu, the NaCRRI farm manager, explains otherwise.
All the green covers that look
idle actually are animal grasses,
some of which have been imported from as far as US and
Canada so that we improve them
to meet Ugandas climate conditions, he says.
We have over 500 acres of
land being used for trials of the
improved nutrimental pasture research, Mr Kiggundu explains.
According to Capt Kigozi Kaw-

SUCCEEDING >
By Ethan Musolini

A worker peels cassava at Namulonge. The centre employs about

2,000 people directly and indirectly.

Typically, its true that you get what you pay

for. Having said that, its also true that there are
free things that are so valuable. Question how
much have you paid for oxygen lately? In the
same spirit, whereas typically valuable information is for sale (I do sell information products),
there are also other free sources that are so
valuable. Utilise them.
When you do, you will be accessing wisdom
for free. You will advance in life at no extra
charge. And people will be watching in amazement. What are some of the sources of free
information for you to consider?
Coursera.org

A German professor doing field research with one of his students at Namulonge.
The centre supports agricultural education.

RESEARCH HUB

The Namulonge institute is one

of the six National Agricultural
Research Institutes (NARIs) that
are managed by the National Agricultural Research Organisation
(Naro).
Dr Ambrose Agona, the director general Naro, says that several
international organisations such
as European Union, USAID, JICA,
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have set up projects worth
several billions in NaCRRI to aid
research.
For instance, he notes, that
JICA, a Japanese based non-profit
organisation has established several research projects in rice for
both upland and lowland areas.
When Tororo research centre was given away to investors,
its work was transferred here. It
is the reason you see that we are
now constructing (thanks to donor funds) as one way of putting
in more investments in livestock
nutrition research programmes,
he observes.
Mr Kiggundu, revealed that the
Turkish Corporation and Coordination Agency had already ap-

proved funding worth $400,000

(about Shs1.4b) for the above purpose. The project is being hosted
as a Turn Key that will see the
area installed with an irrigation
facility with a capacity to irrigate
500 acres of land under forage
production.
He adds that a laboratory worth
$100,000 (about Shs360m) is being constructed to host state-ofthe-art equipment for livestock
health and breeding analysis operations, which will carry out semen
evaluation and analysis to develop
high quality semen for farmers.
According to Dr Godfrey Asea,
the NaCRRI director, the institute
hosts at least 100 students doing
research for their PhD and Masters programmes from both international and local universities
annually.
Dr Gumisiriza hints that whereas
in 1909 Sir Winston Churchill
called Uganda the Pearl of Africa
in decades to come, Uganda will
also become Africas agricultural
research hub if only the current
research developments are not
subverted.

WHY NAMULONGE IS IN THE NEWS

Recently, Daily Monitor broke the story
that President Museveni had given property mogul Sudhir Ruparelia a large chunk
of land at the National Crop Resource Research Institute (NaCRRI), Namulonge, for
flower growing.
In a March 12 letter to Lands minister
Daudi Migereko, the President said he
was giving away part of the institutes
land because the investor had expressed
willingness to work with the local community, which would benefit through the
backward and forward linkages.
Mr Sudhir leased 900 acres of the land

from government at a cost of Shs440m.

The lease that runs for 99 years contrary
to 45 years directed by the President, also
permits the investor to use the land to
erect commercial buildings.
In his December 16, 2013, letter to Mr
Gabriel Ajedra, the State Minister for Investment, Mr Sudhir said he would establish a multi-billion project at Namulonge.
It will include a Victoria University branch
that will teach degrees in horticulture and
floriculture, in addition to creating 7000
new jobs.
Mr Sudhir says he intends to establish

10 diversified projects that will include a

commercial greenhouse flower and vegetable plantations that will be open to NaCRRI staff.
He indicated that in addition to flower
growing, he would also venture into fruit
growing and processing.
He observes that his projects will fit in
with Naro objectives.
The investors proposal also indicates
that a research data bank will be set up
in addition to an international standard
primary school for both NaCRRI and his
plantation staff.

This is an online hub that has over 1,200

courses from some of the best universities in
the world. From architecture, computer science, mathematics to humanities, you will
find it all here. Of course you will need Internet
access, time and your dedication. In case you
have never heard of the site before or you are
aware of it and have never used it, this is the
time to utilise it.
Free conferences and workshops

Literally everyday, there are workshops and

conferences taking place near you or online.
Take advantage. I know that some require payment but there are many that are free. Look
around. Once you attend, pay attention as if
you paid a fortune for the opportunity. Im raising this because some people take free things
for granted.
YouTube and Google

If you use the two online engines intelligently,

you can find all sorts of valuable information.
For example, if you are ever stuck with any
computer related function or programme, there
is a 99.9 per cent chance that someone has
already recorded a video demonstrating step by
step on how to solve the same issue. Just follow along and you will be fine. No need to call a
technical professional who will charge you (unless the challenge is too complex).
Workmates

One of the most underutilised forms of self

education is learning from colleagues at work.
Lets suppose you are working with 20 people.
Usually, you will find they have different skill
sets. Information technology, finance, human
resource and the like. Instead of looking at
them as merely colleagues, also start thinking
about them as teachers who have different
forms of specialisation. All you need to do is to
humble yourself and ask to be taught.
What I usually advise professionals working
in organisations is that if you joined with three
skills, if you are smart, humble enough with a
hunger to learn, you can leave the same organisation with 10 skills. I hope that makes sense.
Alright there you have it. Online and offline
opportunities to learn and expand your mind
and skill sets. Im sure there are very many
other sources of learning which are free that
am not aware of. This is to trigger your mind to
think differently. Oh, I have also remembered
libraries and resource centres which dont require payment. See, so many opportunities for
you. Utilise them.

NOVEMBER 21, 2015 5

national

Saturday Monitor

www.monitor.co.ug

Museveni wants his name

cleared in Sudhir land saga
The claim. The
Presidents private
secretary says his
directive was misused.

BY FARAHANI MUKISA
fmukisa@ug.nationmedia.com

KAMPALA. President Museveni is seeking to clear his name of any wrongdoing in

the botched giveaway of the National Agricultural Research Institute, Namulonge
land to city tycoon Sudhir Ruparelia.
On September 3, President Museveni
asked his personal assistant and private
secretary, Maj Edith Nakalema to clear his
name by publishing his March 12 letter
where he endorsed the giveaway of Namulonge land but under clear conditions
which were manipulated by the ministry
officials and portrayed him in bad light.
President Museveni also directed the
Minister of Lands Daudi Migereko and the
Inspector General of Government to prosecute the officials involved in the dubious
giveaway of Namulonge land to Sudhir.
He said his instructions in his March 12
letter were manipulated by the Lands officials to grant a 99-year lease contrary to
his recommendation for a 49-year lease.

Maj Nakalema said the Presidents directive was abused by the officials who
strayed from his instructions.
The Presidents directive was misused.
It emphasized a 49-year lease but the investor dubiously got 99 years, which was
very wrong. Besides, the land had been
given away before the President gave a

ABOUT NACRRI
The National
Research Agricultural
Institute, Namulonge
(NaCRRI) is one
of the six national
agricultural research
institutes the National
Agricultural Research
Organisation (Naro).
It is mandated to
conduct research on
legumes, cassava,

cereals like maize,

rice, horticulture, and
palm oil and sweet
potatoes as well as
generate knowledge
about the same crops.
The institute employs
more than 2,000
people directly and
indirectly.

Mr Yaron Dunsky
(R), the managing
director SBI
international
holdings shares
a light moment
with his lawyer
Raymond
Ndyagambaki (C)
and Mr Andrew
Kasirye (L), the
UNRA probe lead
counsel yesterday
at Imperial Royale
Hotel where he
was quizzed.
PHOTO BY
MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI

UNRA probe quizzes contractor

over Shs800m excess payment
BY EPHRAIM KASOZI
ekasozi@ug.nationmedia.com

KAMPALA. The Uganda

National Roads Authority
(UNRA) overpaid a construction company SBI Holdings
Shs881m for the Kabale-Kisoro
road project, a witness told
the Commission of Inquiry on
Thursday.
Documents at the commission of inquiry into alleged
mismanagement of UNRA indicate that the over payment
resulted from use of prices for
cement that was never used.
However, appearing before the probe on Thursday,
the managing director of SBI
International Holdings AG
Uganda, Mr Yaron Dunsky,
said UNRA was trying to impose new indices for cement

and local labour and relocate

the variation of price to recover Shs881m.
Asked about the 650 days
in prolonged contract period
during the road project, Mr
Dunsky testified that 115 days,
were for late possession of the
site caused by UNRA while
the 535 days resulted from increased earth works.
According to Mr Dunsky,
the contract price for KabaleKisoro road increased from
Shs147 billion to Shs195 billion because of price variation
and escalation of cost caused
by additional works.
Mr Dunsky, a civil engineer,
was quizzed over several road
projects, which the company
failed to execute in various
parts of the country.
The probe chaired by Jus-

tice Catherine Bamugemereire

is investigating the legal and
corporate governance structures as well as financial management systems of UNRA.
The commission also
quizzed the MD of Energo Projekt, Mr Vladimir Milovanovi
over the quality of works on
the Kawempe- Kafu road and
Kafu Kiryandongo projects.
He insisted the works were of
the right quality.
Mr Milovanovi had been
earlier quizzed for overstaying on the road site without
approval from the Solicitor
General and over the quality
of the road works. He instead
countered that UNRA had
not paid his company for the
works done. He did not name
the amount but said it was in
billions.

directive, Ms Nakalema told Saturday

Monitor by a telephone on Wednesday.
Even after the Presidents directive,
the line officials did everything wrongly,
casting the Presidents name in a bad
light. They gave away a larger chunk of
land than what the President had suggested, she added.
The 900 acres of the Namulonge land
were leased to Sudhir early this year on
Mr Musevenis recommendation but it
was later discovered that the Lands officials had manipulated the presidents
directives to alter lease period in favour
of the Premier Roses, a company owned
Sudhir under his Ruparelia Group of Companies.
Subsequent to the public protest and
the discovery that the land had been dubiously given away, the Lands ministry on
September 4 issued a statement cancelling the title deeds that had already been
given to Mr Sudhirs company.
I am happy to hear that you were
not involved in those mistakes. My letter

should be followed strictly. Those titles

should be cancelled and recast according
to my directive, Mr Museveni wrote to
Migereko on September 3.
Besides, those officials involved
should be held accountable. The Inspector General of Government (IGG) should
act on them in addition to your own administrative actions, the President further ordered.
The IGG spokesperson, Ms Ali Munira,
on Wednesday confirmed receiving the
Presidents directive and added action
is being taken as directed.
Mr Migereko on Wednesday said he had
already instructed the ministrys Permanent Secretary to take appropriate action
against the implicated officials.
However, I will need to check the files
to provide the exact number and names of
the officials that were affected, Mr Migereko said in a telephone interview.
The minister added that other affected
officials work with the ULC. The ULC Secretary Mr Justine Bwogi also confirmed
receiving instructions from his boss to
take action.
A number of administrative actions
have been taken but I cant discuss them
in the newspapers, Mr Bwogi said declining to divulge details.
According to Mr Sudhirs earlier statement to this newspaper, the state ministers of Agriculture and Investment, and
the Minister for Lands raised a no-objection to his company Premier Roses
proposal to lease 900 acres of the land
for National Crops Resources Research
institute Namulonge (NaCRRI).