Masindi LC1 chairman arrested for selling government land
He said it is criminal for area chairpersons to sell government land, and his arrest should be a lesson to other LCI chairpersons in the district who conduct dubious land transactions.
By Our Reporter
Masindi: The LC1 chairperson for Kasongoire village in Budongo subcounty, Masindi district, Ezekiel Kasaija, has been arrested for allegedly selling the community land.
Julius Kyahurwa, the sub county chairperson, says Kasaija was arrested by police on Wednesday following complaints from the area residents about his actions.
Kyahurwa told this publication that Kasaija had sold several plots on the land that had been gazetted for market construction, and he had been chasing all the people who were trying to figure out what he was doing.
He is detained at the Kabango police station in Kabango town council.
The land, located in Kasongoire parish, whose size could not be readily established, was allocated to the community for cotton growing in the 1970s, and it remained idle when the residents stopped growing cotton.
Kyahurwa says that Kasaija has been selling the plots as his own and has been using non-executive committee members to sign the land sale agreements as members of the LC executive.
He criticized the habit of misusing offices among some LC1 chairpersons in the subcounty, citing endorsing transactions in other LCs.
Emmy Ngabirano, the Resident District Commissioner for Masindi, confirmed the arrest of Kasaija before condemning the act of selling public land.
Ngabirano had no kind words for Kasaija, adding that it is criminal for area chairpersons to sell government land, and his arrest should be a lesson to other LCI chairpersons in the district who conduct dubious land transactions.
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