Two families stake claim on Namboole land as management discover stadium doesn't have title
Two families are claiming part of the Namboole stadium land saying that they were not compensated when government acquired the land in 1989.
Thomas Bazitya and Celestino Kitakka on Thursday afternoon told the Justice Catherine Bamugemereire led commission of inquiry into land matters that they were not compensated. One of the claimants also went ahead to present the commission a title acquired in 2017 while the other identified as Ms Norah Nabagesera, an 80 year old widow presented a copy of her title that was registered in 1982.
Justice Catherine Bamugemereire, the head of the probe commission who was touring the land to assess the level of encroachment on it by both individuals and companies however dismissed these claims saying that the special titles were acquired on government land.
She wondered why an official from government would survey land and give the special title to a family without telling them that this government land.
She however promised to investigate these claims by both claimants but warned that if her commission finds any acts of criminality, the law will take its course.
"I wonder why a government official can survey this land and give the family a special title without notifying them that this is government land. We shall investigate these claims but where we find any act of criminality, the law will take its course," Bamugemereire told journalists.
Mandela National Stadium Limited, the company that is managing the stadium earlier this week petitioned Justice Catherine Bamugemereire's land commission to them secure a title on the over 120 acre piece of land in a bid to help them against the encroachments and claimants of the land.
The Managing director of Mandela National Stadium Limited, Mr. Jamil Ssewanyana told the land probe commission that these encroachers are threatening the future of sports in their country noting that he might even receive a special title claiming the pitch if this is not checked.
He showed the land probe some structures that individuals and companies have built on the land. The encroachers include Bweyogerere Market, part of Sports View Hotel, Kireka Veterans among others.
