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The Rukungiri District Council, chaired by District Speaker James Turyamuboona, has established a committee comprising 11 councilors and two district technical staff members to investigate the acquisition of land by Rukungiri municipality. The land in question was formerly considered district property. Councilors accused the top district leadership of collaborating with municipal leaders to transfer the land located at Rukungiri Health Center 4 Rwamahwa in the Eastern division of Rukungiri municipality.
During a council session, Speaker James Turyamuboona expressed the need for the top district leadership to clarify the allegations of granting land to the municipality without informing the council and without proper guidelines.
The councilors expressed dissatisfaction with the Chief Administrative Officer, Hajji Maskoyi Swalic Waswa, who insisted on continuing the eviction of district staff from the houses, a decision that the council had halted. Maskoyi claimed responsibility for all district workers.
District Chairperson Geoffrey Kyomukama asserted that the land now belongs to the municipality, citing a directive from the Ministry of Local Government in 2010 when the municipality was elevated. However, councilors disagreed with this assertion. Kyomukama stated that they would continue activities on the land until the committee presents its report, despite the council’s suspension of all activities related to the contested land.
Councilors, including Alex Tumuramye Omuzinga of Nyakagyeme sub-county and Albert Rwamugata of Buyanja sub-county, expressed frustration at the top leadership’s denial of the land issue, noting that recent letters indicated the land belonged to the municipality, contrary to the district’s understanding. They emphasized the need for the Chief Administrative Officer to respect council resolutions along with the district chairperson.
Speaker James Turyamuboona clarified that the councilors are not opposed to the construction and expansion of the hospital but insisted that the land transfer to the municipality must follow proper procedures. He criticized the Rukungiri municipality’s town clerk for instructing district staff to vacate houses that belong to the district.
The committee, chaired by Alex Tumuramye Omuzinga, has been tasked with investigating the process through which Rukungiri municipality acquired the disputed land. The committee is expected to present its report during the next council sitting in February.
