A senior lands officer in Masaka has been arrested over allegations of illegal land transactions, including the suspected issuance of hundreds of fraudulent land titles in Greater Masaka.
Zziwa Colbert Tamale, the Senior Land Officer at the Masaka Ministry Zonal Office, was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Unit in collaboration with the Uganda Police Force following several complaints linking him to land fraud and alleged dealings with land grabbers.
According to investigators, Zziwa is accused of being involved in the creation and issuance of more than 265 illegal land titles in Greater Masaka. The disputed titles are said to have been issued on different categories of land, including Central Forest Reserves and privately owned land.
Authorities also allege that the officer worked together with other land officials to manipulate land records and facilitate illegal ownership transfers. One of the cases under investigation involves land belonging to former Vice President Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi in Kyanamukaaka, Masaka.
Investigators claim that the land, which originally measured 83 acres, was fraudulently reduced to 34 acres before being divided into several plots through a questionable process. The creation of a disputed title on the former Vice President’s land is among the allegations being examined by authorities.
Zziwa is also accused of running a scheme in Sembabule District where hundreds of residents allegedly paid money believing they were receiving assistance to obtain free land titles. This was despite an existing government programme providing free titles to selected residents facing possible eviction due to land disputes.
The arrest has attracted attention from residents in Greater Masaka, with authorities encouraging anyone who has complaints or information related to the officer’s alleged activities to come forward and report to Masaka Police Station or contact the Anti-Corruption Unit through the official reporting channels.
The suspect is expected to appear before court once investigations are completed. Possible charges against him may include abuse of office, fraudulent procurement of a certificate of title, conspiracy to commit a felony, and forgery.
The arrest is part of wider government efforts to address land fraud and protect citizens from illegal land transactions that have affected many communities across Uganda.
