The State House Anti-Corruption Unit, entrusted with the solemn duty of upholding integrity and combating malfeasance, finds itself thrust into the spotlight amidst a storm of controversy swirling in Lira City.
Led by the Deputy Head of the Unit, a press briefing on January 12th, 2024, sought to address mounting concerns regarding investigations into land matters within the region.
However, Kenneth Allan Owani, a vigilant watchdog of justice, embarked on a meticulous analysis of the statements issued during the briefing.
His findings unveil a tapestry of deceit, manipulation, and institutional failings, casting a harsh light on the very entity charged with rooting out corruption.
Owani’s scrutiny begins with a critical examination of the Unit’s handling of the case involving Mr. Okello Lawrence, a prominent figure ensnared in a legal quagmire over land acquisition. Despite assurances of due diligence, Owani’s investigation reveals gaping holes in the Unit’s methodology. Discrepancies in the validation of National IDs, oversight of vital survey reports, and selective enforcement of the law cast doubt upon the integrity of the Unit’s investigations.
The arrest and prosecution of Mr. Okello Lawrence, a successful businessman contributing significantly to the nation’s coffers, raise troubling questions about the Unit’s motivations and allegiances.
As Owani peels back the layers of corruption, a pattern of coercion and intimidation emerges. The Unit’s purported recovery of land titles is called into question, with allegations of collusion and complicity with vested interests staining its reputation. Owani’s meticulous documentation exposes a culture of impunity, where individuals are pressured into surrendering titles under duress, violating the very principles of justice the Unit is sworn to uphold.
The arrest of Mr. Okello Francis Olwa, former acting Secretary of the Lira District Land Board, serves as a stark reminder of the perils of unchecked power. Through painstaking reconstruction of events, Owani exposes the Unit’s complicity in orchestrating unjust persecution, tarnishing the lives of innocent individuals in pursuit of political expediency.
Land grabbing, once dismissed as mere conjecture, emerges as a chilling reality. Owani challenges the Unit’s understanding of lawful land allocation, citing constitutional provisions and legal precedents. His exhaustive analysis lays bare the systemic rot within the Unit, where the rule of law is sacrificed at the altar of vested interests and political machinations.
Yet, amidst the darkness, a flicker of hope remains. Owani’s unwavering commitment to justice reverberates through his words, as he calls upon the State House Anti-Corruption Unit to reassess its methods and personnel. His resolve to seek redress through legal channels underscores the enduring power of truth in the face of adversity.
As his analysis reverberates through the halls of power, Owani stands as a beacon of hope in a sea of corruption. His unwavering determination to hold the powerful accountable serves as a testament to the indomitable spirit of justice, even in the direst of circumstances.
Owani, expounded on the functions of the local Government adding that “Local Government Systems are mandated by the laws of this Country to apply appropriate measures to enable local government units to plan, initiate and execute policies in respect of all matters that affects the people within their jurisdiction’’. He added that, the District Council is empowered to exercise power as a body corporate, the highest Political Authority within the area of jurisdiction and to have a decentralized power to administer the land within its jurisdiction and this can only be challenged by the competent Court of law.
He explains that he was shocked beyond repair to hear a blatant statement made by the Unit in disowning Lira District Council Resolutions and referring them as ‘’Impugned Minute of the Council’’
He appealed to the Unit to respect the rule of law as well as the democratically elected system of governance if we were to render effective and efficient service delivery to the locals in the country.
Owani, pledged his total allegiance as a law-abiding citizen, and also cognizant of the principles of the rule of law brought by the NRM Government, never to sit back and watch the operations of the Unit behaving like the State Research Bureau of Amin’s regime meting injustices to the people of this country.
Owani, appealed to the Unit, to consider returning back and handing over recovered titles to the Government Custodian of Public assets and properties like to CAO or Town Clerk, other than keeping them at the Unit which raises suspicion like the case of a recovered land title of Plots of land located on Plot 28-37 (measuring approximately 1.3460 Hectares) on Adea Kolnerio Close in the name of Apolo Lydia Susan which according to him, he is afraid that the said land is alleged to have been sold to one of the Ministers through connivance with some City leadership, instead of taking it back to Lira District Local Government.
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