The parliamentary select committee has summoned the Managing Director of NSSF, Richard Byarugaba, city businessman Amos Nzeeyi and former commissioner Lands, Sarah Kulata over the Temangalo land saga.
The Committee on Commissions Statutory Authorities and State Enterprise (COSASE) sitting on Wednesday also summoned former Deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma to explain circumstances surrounding the Temangalo land.
Cosase is investigating the controversies around the alleged illegal repossession of Asian assets. On Wednesday, the committee noted that Temangalo land was now in NSSF’s possession despite controversies surrounding its sale.
This follows claims by an Indian-Canadian citizen, Nazim Moosa, that Amos Nzeeyi fraudulently sold the land. Moosa Presented the genuine land title causing mixed reaction whether NSSF Procured land without a land title.
In August last year, the Land Commission of Inquiry grilled Abbas Mawanda, the man who sold the Temangalo land to industrialist Amos Nzeyi between 1988 and 1993.
Justice Catherine Bamugemereire noted that on March 10, 2008, National Social Security Fund (NSSF) purchased 463.87 acres of private mailo land in six parcels from two vendors: Nzeyi and Arma Limited, a company linked to former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi.
On August 1, a Canadian-Asian family petitioned the commission, claiming ownership of 366.2 acres of the land.
Nazim Moosa testified that his parents, Mohammed Hassnali Moosa (died 1997) and Sherbanu Hassnali Moosa, owned Temangalo Tea Estate Limited (TTEL).
Nazim says the family left Uganda in 1972 when then-president Idi Amin expelled Asians.
According to a chronology of the land title, on February 24, 1922, the land was registered in the name of Daniel Ssaku.
On July 17, 1944, it was transferred in the name Daniel Daniel Ssaku Mugwanya (senior). On October 19, 1944, there was a lease granted to Frederick George Tolbert.
Subsequently on August 7, 1959, the lease was extended for 49 years in favour of TTEL. The lease was due for expiry in 2003.
On October 23, 1983, one Hajji Ahmed Keeya registered interest on the land and lodged a caveat, saying he bought the land from Daniel Mugwanya Kato at sh500,000.
The caveat indicated that Mugwanya senior had agreed to sell the land to Keeya.
Mugwanya senior reportedly authorised the transaction, prior to his demise.
On June 29, 1987, the land was transferred, and duly registered in the name Abbas Mawanda.
In July 2008, Temangalo saga became a subject of intense public discussion, which resulted in a probe on then Security minister Amama Mbabazi (former Prime Minister).
He was probed over purported use of clout to entice NSSF into buying the land.
NSSF admitted that it paid Mbabazi’s firm Arma Limited, and Nzeyi sh11.2b for the land, at sh24m per acre.
