Makubuya Fails to Explain Govt Role

NATIONAL NEWS NEW VISION, Thursday, September 8, 2011 5 Makubuya fails to UBC cancels Basajja land deal By STEVEN CANDIA on the land which shall be explain govt role PICTURE BY ROGERS OKWANY vacated upon payment of the The Uganda Broadcast- full purchase price. By MARY KARUGABA ing Corporation (UBC) “In view of the foregoing, it has revoked the sale of the is the position of UBC care- Former Attorney General controversial plot of land in taker management that Haba Kiddhu Makubuya yesterday a city suburb to renowned Group blatantly breached remained tight-lipped amidst entrepreneur Hassan Basajja- paragraph D of the recitals in pressure from MPs to answer bala, citing breach of contract the sale agreement by failing questions regarding his and strategic interests of the to pay the purchase price involvement in the signing, corporation. upfront as proposed in the cancellation and compensa- In a letter dated August foregoing recital D. tion of seven contracts where 31 and addressed to HABA HABA Group also failed the Government lost sh270b. Group chairman, the UBC to honour Clause 2.5 of the Appearing before the pub- acting managing director, Paul sale agreement of paying the lic accounts committee prob- Kihika, cited breach of essen- full purchase price and the ing the contracts, Makubuya tial clauses of the sale contract said clause arms UBC with said he could not accurately by Basajjabalaba, as the main power to repossess the said recall his role due to lack of reason for termination of property,” the letter signed by access to the documents in the contract. Haba Group is Kihika reads. the Attorney General’s office. owned by Basajjabalaba. In the letter, Kihika accused Makubuya handed over the In the letter, Kihika accused Bassajjabalaba of fraudu- office to Peter Nyombi in a Bassajjabalaba of breaching lently selling the land, despite cabinet reshuffle in May. clause 2.5 of the sales agree- an outstanding balance of But Committee chairman ment which empowered UBC sh4.9b. Kassiano Wadri (FDC) and (vendor) to repossess the land “It was also a condition Alice Alaso (FDC) asked upon Haba’s failure to pay the under Clause 3.3 of the agree- Makubuya whether he Makubuya leaving the room after appearing before the public accounts committee outstanding balance on the ment that HABA Group shall needed the committee’s due date. not sell, transfer or part with assistance to access the Clause 3.3 also provided the property before the full documents. demanded that he answers The contracts were cleared had a record of being a that the purchaser shall not purchase price was paid. To the amusement of mem- general questions and leave but later cancelled under ‘difficult witness’ and had transfer or part with posses- However, without due bers, Makubuya said: “I have out the technical aspect. unclear circumstances. given the same excuses to sion of the property until the consideration to the foregoing not tried so I don’t know The committee is probing The committee’s lead coun- the previous committee full purchase price is received clause, Haba Group on June, 1 whether I will have difficul- circumstances under which sel, Gerald Karuhanga, asked when he was summoned to by the vendor on its accounts. fraudulently and without any ties accessing it.” the Government paid over Makubuya to explain to the answer queries of the Auditor Clause 3.3 of the same notice to UBC and even with- The committee rejected his sh270b to seven companies, committee the processes gov- General. agreement, according to the out paying the outstanding explanation, saying that as including Hassan Basaj- ernment goes through before The committee later gave letter also gave the corpora- balance of sh4.9b, transferred government legal adviser, he jabalaba’s Haba Group that awarding compensations. Makubuya one week to tion powers to lodge a caveat the said demised property. was aware of the deals and received sh69.8b. Jack Wamai said Makubuya report back. Nkangi quizzed over saga By VISION REPORTER “We wanted to inquire Nkangi confirmed that he whether he knew about the met with the detectives who The Uganda Land Commis- extra land the Aya Group is told him they were investigat- sion chief, Mayanja Nkangi, said to have acquired,” the ing fraud. was on Tuesday interrogated source stated, without dis- He, however, said the by the Police over claims closing details. claims were not true and ad- that the land Aya Group got vised investigators to contact on Nakasero Hill exceeded city authorities for details. what the Government offered Earlier, the Police had sum- them. Edited moned Nkangi in vain. At Aya Group is constructing one time, detectives wrote a a Hotel atop Nakasero Hill Q Nkangi had been letter seeking his assistance. in Kampala under the Hilton summoned several times Instead of meeting them, Franchise. The land initially in vain. At one time, he Nkangi edited the letter belonged to the Uganda edited the letter using a using a red pen and sent it Broadcasting Corporation red pen and sent it back back. (UBC). According to the document, Nkangi appeared at the Aya allegedly annexed more Special Investigation Unit However, the source said land after it got the initial por- head office in Kampala for Nkangi did not record a state- tion of land. interrogation. ment. Normally, when some- Aya Group is currently A detective, who preferred one is assisting the Police in constructing a hotel, which anonymity, said they dis- investigations, they record has a bird’s eye-view of the cussed issues concerning statements. city. The Aya team could not UBC land. Contacted for comment, be reached for a comment..

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