Uganda: Officer interdicted over illegal sale of government land

Mr Malinga was served with an interdiction letter on June 28, 2024, after being arrested by police and charged at Kumi Magistrate's Court with parceling out government land.

The Principal Assistant Secretary to the Office of Kumi District, Mr Frederick Malinga, has been interdicted for allegedly selling 53 acres of government land in Kanyum Town Council, formerly part of Kanyum Sub County.

Mr Malinga was served with an interdiction letter on June 28, 2024, after being arrested by police and charged at Kumi Magistrate's Court with parceling out government land. The Chief Administrative Officer, Ms Roseline Adongo Luhoni, stated that Public Service Commission regulations require interdiction when a civil servant is under disciplinary action.

The RDC of Kumi District, Mr Washaki Ahamada, alleged that Mr Malinga fraudulently sold over 200 plots of government land in Kanyum while the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) was away on leave. The illegal transactions also involved surveying the land for the buyers. The RDC questioned how surveyors could participate in the illegal activity, knowing the legal requirements for government land use or sale.

"We visited the land in question and during our visit, we received numerous complaints from people who had paid for land but were not allocated any. They had been defrauded of their money without receiving the land they were promised," Mr. Ahamada.

Mr Malinga claims that the decision to sell the land was made by Kanyum Town Council, and his role was supervisory, without handling any money. He remains a suspect until proven guilty by the courts.