MBALE, Uganda — The Mbale City Land Board is facing accusations of administrative impropriety and possible irregularities in the allocation and extension of a lease over Plot 53 Bungokho Road, following fresh demands for answers from lawyers representing the estate of the late George William Owaraga.
According to documents seen by The Ankole Times, Adowa & Company Advocates, acting for beneficiaries, have written to the Board on at least two occasions demanding an explanation of how a 49-year lease extension was granted to Ann Betty Apio despite claims that the original application and development rights belonged to George William Owaraga.
The lawyers contend that Owaraga was the original applicant for the land in 1984, accepted the offer, paid the required premiums, and was granted a lease. They further state that development plans for the property were approved in his name and that his interest in the land was never lawfully extinguished through repossession, cancellation, or compensation.
The dispute centers on Mbale Land Board’s decision to grant a 49-year lease extension to Ms. Ann Betty Apio. The beneficiaries allege that Apio had no legal or equitable claim to the property and was not the original lessee. The lawyers argue that she occupied the unfinished structure on the land before later applying for an extension of the lease.
In correspondence addressed to the Chairman of the Mbale District Land Board, the lawyers demanded access to certified copies of the application, minutes, resolutions, lease instruments, and other records relating to the extension granted to Apio. They also sought clarification on the legal basis upon which she was considered entitled to the extension and whether any site inspection or verification was conducted before the decision was made.
A subsequent letter warned that the Board had been requested more than once to provide a formal explanation but had allegedly failed to do so. The lawyers said the Board should explain how the land was allocated to Apio when the initial application and development of the property were attributed to George William Owaraga.
The beneficiaries further allege that municipal records may have been altered to reflect a different lessee and claims that the circumstances surrounding the lease raise questions about procedural compliance within the land administration process.
The lawyers have warned that if satisfactory responses are not provided, they may pursue legal remedies, including filing a caveat over the property, petitioning for rectification of land records, seeking judicial review of the Board’s decision, and requesting investigations by relevant authorities.
However, when we contacted the city clerk of Mbale, Mr. Assy Abirebe Tumwesigire on phone, he told this publication that he was not aware of the case, but promised to follow-up with it and ensure he does the need full.
“I’m not aware of it, but I will follow it up,” he told our reporter.
