State House issued a statement on Sunday, clarifying the specific responsibilities of the Presidential Taskforce on Land Matters and Environment in response to growing concerns and complaints. Brig. Gen. Moses Lukyamuzi, a Special Presidential Assistant, leads the task force, operating within the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development.
Under the leadership of Brig. Gen. Lukyamuzi, the task force is entrusted with the prevention of encroachments on wetlands, forests, and riverbanks. Additionally, they are mandated to ensure swift security responses in cases of land grabbing and are authorized to hand over suspects to the police or military police for further proceedings.
However, the statement emphasized that the task force lacks the authority to conduct investigations, detain individuals, or prosecute suspects. These responsibilities remain within the purview of the police, the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and the Courts of Law.
The release of this clarification follows several complaints and accusations against the task force, including allegations of supporting land grabbers and disregarding court orders. Notably, in 2022, the task force faced criticism for intervening in a land dispute in Kito, Namugongo, where they were accused of ignoring a court order and assisting individuals attempting to seize contested land.
In September 2022, Minister of State for Lands, Sam Mayanja, expressed his intention to bring matters related to the abuse of court orders by the task force to the attention of President Yoweri Museveni. The minister addressed allegations of misconduct by Brig. Gen. Lukyamuzi and his bodyguards, including accusations of malicious damage to property, assault, and disobedience of a court order.
The administrators of the estate of the late Nechemia Masabo Lwanga Sempama accused the task force of seeking land in exchange for protection and engaging in illegal activities. Minister Mayanja warned that he would request the President to disband the task force if they continued to abuse their powers.
