By Jordan Mubangizi
Junior environment minister Ronald Kibuule has been named in a second land eviction case before the land probe headed by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire.
Kibuule was accused by an 85-year old witness Hosea Ssonko on Monday before the commission. Ssonko accused minister Kibuule of being behind the eviction of residents in Nama village in Mukono district.
Ssonko says that Kibuule evicted the residents to make way for development of the land by Chinese investors he is working with. The Chinese investors plan to build a factory on the land.
Ssonko says that when residents approached Kibuule to help them stop the illegal evictions, he ignored the residents pleas. Ssonko says that Kibuule dismissed their petition because he did not see any benefit to be gained from stopping their eviction.
Kibuule is the Mukono County North Member of Parliament. Nama village falls under his juridiction.
According to locals, the minister is using a proxy, a one Dick Banoba to illegally acquire the land and sell it to the Chinese investors.
Kibuule is one of the many ministers that have been dragged to the land probe in relation to land grabbing and illegal evictions. Others include public service minister Muruli Mukasa, lands minister Betty Amongi, sports minister James Bakabulindi, constitutional affairs minister Kahinda Otafire alongside other senior government and high ranking military officials.
