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Otafiire warns critics over ‘malicious’ land grab allegations
Constitutional Affairs Minister Kahinda Otafiire
General Otafiire bowed to the directive from the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga and tabled to Parliament what he described as all documents detailing how he acquired government land holding Njeru Stock Farm in Buikwe district.
Speaking to journalists at his country home in Kashenshero in Mitooma district over the weekend, Otafiire said that he acquired the 120 acres of the land in question from the late Fredrick Kato and Christopher Lule it lawfully, who were both administrators of the estate of the late Enock Ssebowa and Gusta Sseruro respectively.
Minister Otafiire who presented his documents on the floor of Parliament, dismissed claims that he had grabbed government’s land at Njeru but rather bought it legally.
But Otafiire’s account was rubbished by Budadiri west MP Nathan Nandala who said the Minister abused his office to ask the ministry of land to open up boundaries to the said land after government failed to pay ground rent for 30 years.
Mafabi told Parliament that: “Hon. Otafiire used his office as a Minister in charge of Justice and Constitutional Affairs and wrote to the Minster for Lands and Housing on the estate of the late Sir Daudi Chwa II and was given 50 acres of that land,” Nandala-Mafabi said, adding that “Hon. Otafiire went with armed men to invade the farm [Njeru] yet they had been stopped by the Commission of Inquiry into Land Matters.”
Mafabi challenged the Minister to present his receipts of payment, the purchase agreement and also show how he transferred the money for the 120 acres of land.
Otafiire countered criticism by saying that the MPs were ill informed.
“Who are these fellows in parliament who don’t do research to start questioning my possession of my piece of land given to me by law and if they are not ignoramuses ,they are malicious ,this is malice a forethought,” he said.
The legislators also pinned the minister for failing to explain how the land was transferred from government into his name.
Otafiire said that such allegations levelled against him were investigated by the IGG and the Bamugemereire land commission and he was cleared of any wrongdoing.
” I repeat let any of them and there are those who are commenting on social media, those things of social media have no immunity and I will sue all of you. I will take you to the court of law and learn the lessons,” he said.
Speaker Kadaga promised to study the documents presented by Otafiire and give her ruling on Tuesday November 5, 2019.
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