The beneficiaries of former ministry of works and transport permanent secretary, late George William Owaraga’s estate have now pinned their hopes on the Minister of State for Local Government, Hon. Justine Nameere, after a frustrating wall of silence from officials in Mbale over a disputed land lease that continues to generate controversy.
For months, the beneficiaries, through their lawyers, have been seeking answers regarding the circumstances under which a 49-year lease extension over Plot 53 Bungokho Road was granted to Ann Betty Apio despite claims that the land was originally allocated to and developed by the late Owaraga.
Their efforts to obtain official explanations from the Mbale City Land Board have reportedly yielded little success.
The beneficiaries maintain that their concern is not merely about ownership of the land but about transparency, accountability and proper record management within local government land administration systems, arguing that several letters seeking clarification have gone unanswered, leaving them with more questions than answers regarding the process that culminated in the lease extension.
Now, they are appealing to Minister Nameere to intervene and compel the relevant authorities in Mbale to provide a clear account of what transpired.
“We simply want the truth and the records. If everything was done properly, then the responsible offices should have no difficulty explaining how the decisions were arrived at,” one of the beneficiaries said.
The family believes the Minister’s intervention could help unlock information they have unsuccessfully sought from various offices and ensure that due process is followed.
Their appeal comes amid growing scrutiny of local government land administration processes across the country, where disputes involving lease allocations, renewals and record management have increasingly found their way into courts and investigative agencies.
When this publication first contacted Mbale City Town Clerk Assy Abirebe Tumwesigire regarding the matter, he said he was not aware of the case but promised to follow it up. However, subsequent attempts to reach him for an update were unsuccessful as his known telephone contact was unreachable by press time.
The controversy stems from claims by the Owaraga estate that the deceased was the original applicant for the land in 1984, accepted the offer, paid the required fees and secured development approvals before his interest in the property was allegedly overtaken by subsequent events whose legality is now being questioned.
The beneficiaries insist that only a comprehensive explanation from the relevant authorities can settle the matter and restore confidence in the integrity of the land administration process.
The attention, as pressure mounts, is now turning to Minister Nameere and whether her office will step in to help unravel a dispute that has remained unanswered despite repeated requests for clarification from those claiming to have a legitimate stake in the property.
