"Powerful individuals are fighting me," says Uganda Land Commission boss

The Uganda Land Commission (ULC) chairperson Beatrice Byenkya has refuted claims that she was interdicted by Inspectorate of Government (IGG) Beti Kamya, saying she has never received any letter to that effect.

Byenkya told the media on Tuesday that these are political battles from powerful individuals who have encroached on public land and now want her out of office.

"Up to today, my interdiction letter has not come. I was just copied in. I didn’t get any {letter} that was directed to me so since that time, I have been in office. I have been working and I have been carrying out my responsibilities," she said.

She revealed that 18% of the public land had been taken by "untouchables" adding that the commission is grappling with many challenges including persons with god fathers running the commission.

"Everybody in Uganda knows that anything connected to land is a sensitive matter, it is a matter that concerns everybody so that is why we have been in the press for wrong reasons. We work at an institution but believe me or not, we have other influences from outside. You find people with god parents but for me I don’t have a god parent. I was just appointed by the grace of God," she said.

Byenkya said the court has issued her an interim order allowing her to stay on until the main application challenging her interdiction and allegations against her is heard.

“There is an interim court order, so the interim court just deflects everything and I won’t say much about that because I am in court," she said.

Byenyka troubles started last year in October when the Minister of Lands, Judith Nabakooba suspended ULC bosses including her, citing an administrative standoff fuelled by corruption and bickering over deals.

In order to restore normality in the short term, Nabakooba took over the duties of managing the Commission as Auditor General and Inspector General of Government investigate corruption allegations.

In her letter dated October 12, Nabakooba had requested the Inspector General of Government (IGG) Beti Kamya, to carry out an investigation into alleged cases of abuse and misuse of ULC resources, adding that findings of the report would guide the process of restoring order and normal functioning of the commission.

Responding to Nabakooba’s requests, Kamya, in November gave nod to the minister’s earlier recommendations, and ordered for the interdiction of Byenkya from her position as Chairperson of the commission.