Leaders in Masaka City Call for Public Audit on Suspicious Loss of Public Properties

A group of leaders in Masaka City Council is advocating for a public audit to investigate the suspicious loss of public properties in the area. The city council has been mired in disputes stemming from the irregular sale and takeover of public properties by private individuals for personal gain.

These properties encompass public open spaces, buildings, road reserves, schools, health centers, and playgrounds, with their land titles being transferred into the names of private individuals. Among the public properties under dispute are Masaka Children's Park, segments of Masaka Recreation Grounds, Hill Public School, Transit Parking Yard in Kijjabwemi, sections of Kyabakuza Health Centre III, Masaka Liberation Square, the Golf Course, 

Mayor’s Chambers, portions of Masaka Central and Nyendo markets, Masaka Bus Park, Bwala and Kkumbu Forests, Kkumbu housing estates, Mutuba-Musisi Greenbelt, and Katwe Community Market, among others. Led by the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Mathias Mpuuga Nsamba, who also serves as the MP for Nyendo Mukungwe, these leaders are considering conducting a public hearing to address the contentious issue of property loss as a means of recovering these assets.

They have uncovered instances of overlapping land titles and missing titles for numerous public assets, providing opportunities for speculators to unlawfully acquire and sell them. The leaders have initiated inspections of all properties owned by Masaka City Council and plan to engage the public in discussions regarding their ownership status. 

This approach seeks to hold both claimants and duty-bearers accountable for the suspicious allocation of properties. The anticipated public audit aims to expose individuals and groups involved in the fraudulent sale of these public assets and hold them accountable for acts of corruption.  

//Cue in: “Part of our job….  

   

Cue out; ……this fraud,”//  

Luganda    

/Cue in: “ebimu ku byatwalibwa….     

Cue out: ….tubasobola,”//   

Mpuuga has also called on the Ministry of Local Government to expedite the issuance and gazetting of guidelines for asset sharing between mother districts and newly created cities to prevent rushed property sales.

//Cue in: “The minister promised…..  

Cue out: ….to Masaka City.”//      

Luganda  

//Cue in; “enteeka teeka ya government…   

Cue out: ….obukulembeze abwamuke.”//     

Zahara Nalubyayi, the Masaka City Woman Councilor for the Kimanya-Kabonera city division, has pledged support to assist victims of fraudulent property sales in pursuing legal action against the culprits. She has noted that they have obtained documentary evidence of dubious transactions involving some leaders.    

Luganda audio  

//Cue in; “twafuna omuzira kisa….    

Cue out: ….eri abalala.”//  

Juliet Kakande, the Masaka City Woman MP, emphasized the importance of the community taking responsibility for defending public assets and welcomed the public audit as a means of reinvigorating civic engagement. 

However, Florence Namayanja, the Masaka City Mayor, acknowledged the challenges inherited by the administration and explained that reversing irregular transactions is a time-consuming process. She cited difficulties in recovering lost assets due to a lack of documentation regarding ownership status and expressed her support for efforts to protect these assets.