Five members of the Land Allocation Committee in Nakasongola have been arraigned in court following allegations of corruption, assault, and illegal land allocation. The suspects—Kasibante Robert, Kawa Robert, Musisi Julius, Gawera Ronald, and Semata Vicent—are accused of conspiring to defraud, causing grievous harm, committing malicious damage to property, and unlawfully confining individuals. Investigations by the Anti-Corruption Unit, in collaboration with the Uganda Police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, revealed that the committee members engaged in distributing land within Kyarubanga forest reserve before its official degazettement, defying the President’s directive on the matter.
According to authorities, the accused allegedly forcefully took over land occupied by sitting tenants and allocated it to themselves and other individuals, including non-residents of Nakasongola District. These actions reportedly triggered serious disputes, physical assaults, and destruction of property. In addition, some committee members are said to have collected money from members of the public under the pretense of allocating land, but in many cases, the promised plots were never delivered.
The investigation by the Special Anti-Corruption Unit came after instructions from the President to probe allegations of corruption and irregularities within the Land Allocation Committee. While the five suspects have been remanded in custody until April 14, 2026, authorities say investigations into the matter are ongoing, and several other members of the committee remain at large. The case has raised public concern about land governance and the protection of forest reserves in Uganda, highlighting the urgent need for accountability and transparency in local land allocation processes.
