The Departed Asians Property Custodian Board (DAPCB) has been ordered to produce a detailed asset inventory following concerns raised in the latest Auditor General’s report.
The directive was issued by Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) during a session in which the board appeared to respond to audit queries for the financial year ended June 30, 2024.
Led by Executive Secretary George William Bizibu, DAPCB officials were tasked with presenting a comprehensive asset register outlining all properties under the board’s custody.
The committee demanded details of valued properties, including those repossessed, allocated, donated and disposed of over the years.
According to the Auditor General’s findings, the board does not maintain a complete and updated asset register, a lapse that lawmakers described as a serious accountability gap—particularly at a time when government is considering rationalising some agencies.
COSASE members expressed concern that without a verified and consolidated inventory, it becomes difficult to track public assets, guard against irregular allocations, or establish the true value of properties held in trust for government.
“The absence of a comprehensive asset register is a significant concern,” one committee member noted, stressing the need for transparency and proper documentation in managing properties formerly belonging to departed Asians.
Lawmakers also directed Bizibu to provide a specific list of properties donated by the minister, as provided for under the governing law, to enable the committee ascertain whether such transactions were conducted in line with statutory requirements.
The Departed Asians Property Custodian Board was established to manage properties left behind by Asians who were expelled from Uganda in 1972.
Over the years, the board has been at the centre of disputes involving repossession claims, allocations and alleged mismanagement of prime commercial and residential properties.
COSASE indicated that failure to maintain a proper asset register exposes government to potential revenue losses, double allocations and protracted legal battles.
The committee’s latest directive seeks to establish clarity on the total number, location, status and value of properties currently under DAPCB’s mandate, as well as those already disposed of.
Bizibu told the committee that the board would compile and submit the required documentation as instructed.
The matter remains under review by COSASE, which has pledged to follow up to ensure compliance and strengthen oversight of state entities managing public assets.
