The Vice Chancellor (VC) of Uganda Christian University, (UCU), Rev. Dr. John Senyonyi accused the State Minister for water resources, Ronald Kibuule of grabbing university land while appearing before the Land Probe Committee chaired by the Lady Justice Catherine Bamugemeriere.
“There are some high-ranking officers, and one of them is honourable Kibuule who also forcefully entered the land,” says the VC.
The Minister, according to the VC, used the land to construct what he (VC) calls a “substantial residential palace” where he has been occupying for quite some time now.
“The university cannot place a date on the day the minister started occupation, but I first saw his house in 2015,” Dr Senyonyi says. He adds that Hon Kibuule is also carrying out some other activities on the land.
The land in question was donated to the university by the late Hamu Mukasa (the university main library was named after him) for the benefit of the institution and is situated in Ntawu, Mukono.
The VC also accuses the former minister of state for land, Aida Nantaba of inflaming residents in the locality to attack the officials of the university that had visited the land.
“She visited the land, and inflamed their squatters to reject us,” the UCU Vice Chancellor testified.
The university bishops, including the Arch Bishop Ntagali, the Chancellor visited the land in 2016 using the university bus, and while on the land, the residents brought firewood to burn the bus. The officials were rescued by the police from the intent mob.
The VC asked the committee to intervene so that the university can use the land the way it wants including offering leases to be able to raise income to sustain the university.
“My Lord, we want to be able to assert ownership of our property,” he said. He added that “as a university we need alternative sources of income to be able to run the higher institution of learning which is cash intensive.”
The committee is investigating the matter.
