Masindi Municipal Mayor, MP, given two-week ultimatum to bring Kayanja land title

By Our Reporter

Masindi: The Masindi district LCV Chairman, Cosmas Byaruhanga, has given a two-week ultimatum to Masindi Municipality Mayor Kyomuhendo Ronald Businge and Municipal MP Joab Businge to bring the land title for Kayanja, which was proposed for the establishment of Bunyoro University.

The district chairman and the mayor have been up in arms for a long time over the allocation of land for the establishment of Bunyoro University Greater Masindi Campus. The Municipal Mayor and MP propose Kayanja, which is within an urban setting, while the district chairman suggests Kihonda since they have its own land title.

Recently, during the commemoration of the belated Independence Day for Masindi district held at Kikingura Primary School Playground, Byaruhanga said that they identified Kihonda land for the establishment of the university since it has no wrangle and they have its land title.

Without announcing the next step, Byaruhanga gave the above two leaders two weeks to produce the land title for Kayanja since the minister canceled its land title, which was in the name of an investor, Magalies Distillers Ltd, Uganda.

‘’Since the minister canceled the land title for Kayanja, which was released to an investor, I have given the municipal mayor and the Member of Parliament a two-week ultimatum to release or I will take another step,’’ he said.

The politician also alleged that there is a section of leaders who want to fail the allocation of Kihonda land for the establishment of the public university. ‘’Some leaders are pushing for the allocation of the university to Kiryandongo rather than Kihonda in case Kayanja land is not allocated,’’ he alleged.

Byaruhanga also told the public that he has been branded as a war marker, stressing that he works for the interest of the public, not individuals. ‘’ People have branded me a fighter, but the reality is that I talk the truth and work in the interest of the public,’’ he said.

While responding to Byaruhanga this afternoon, the Masindi Municipal Mayor, Ronald Kyomuhendo Businge, said he has no time for Byaruhanga, noting that Byaruhanga has no authority to give them ultimatum time for the release of the land title, adding he is not answerable to Byaruhanga but to the people of the municipality.

‘’I have no time for Byaruhanga; he has no authority to give us an ultimatum time for the release of the land title for Kayanja, and I’m not answerable to him but to the people of the municipality who voted for me,’’ he responded.

According to Kyomuhendo, the district chairperson has been failing the process of canceling the land title for Kayanja by running to court and alleging other issues for unknown reasons.

‘’This man has been failing to cancel the land title for Kayanja by running to court and alleging other issues. Recently, he told me that he was working for the interests of the public and that he was supporting the cancellation of the land title, but now he is against it,’’ he said, adding that ‘’I don’t know his interests in Kihonda Land and why he is against the establishment of Bunyoro University Greater Masindi Campus at Kayanja.’’

Kyomuhendo said he is not concerned with whether Kayanja or Kihonda land is allocated for the establishment of the university; all he wanted was to secure Kayanja land from the wrong owners, which he has now achieved.

The Municipal Mayor also dismissed the allegations of failing to establish the university in Masindi, saying he is determined to secure Kayanja Land since the minister of lands also canceled the land title, noting that Masindi Municipality and the district land board are responding to the ministry of lands on a new land title for Kayanja, which will be released soon.

‘’I’m determined to secure Kayanja Land since the minister of lands also canceled the land title. The Masindi Municipality and the district land board are responding to the ministry of lands on a new land title name for Kayanja, which will be released soon,’’ he said.

We couldn’t get a comment from the Masindi Municipal MP, Joab Businge, by press time. However, last month he convened a meeting at Education Hall involving the district and municipal councilors, elders, and religious leaders to suggest the land title name for the Kayanja.

The legislator has been quoted several times, saying that the university is supposed to be established within an urban setting for easy accessibility and service delivery, and noting that Kihonda land can be reserved for its purposes since it’s the district’s demonstration farm.

In September this year, the Minister State for Lands, Sam Mayanja, canceled the land title for Kayanja, citing it was fraudulently leased to an investor.

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