ADJUMANI, UGANDA: The scramble for land in Adjumani district is intensifying as another NGO owned by former Tooro kingdom Prime Minister John Sanyu Katuramu is seeking for 1,300 acres of land for free for the establishment of several grandiose facilities.
The NGO named New World Rehabilitation and Reintegration Centers [NWRRC] has basically been formed to support former inmates live modest lives.
According to Okelo Okidi Willy the aide of Katuramu who had separate meetings with the district chairman Anyama Ben and Madi Paramount chief Drani Stephen Kongoro, the project needs adequate land to the tune of 1,300 acres.
He said the project will among others include; the establishment of a hospital, television and radio stations, Universities and skills training centers, a multi-billion stadium, and other sports facilities.
Mr. Anyama Ben was however skeptical noting that the land belongs to communities, hence his office does not have the capacity to offer land and advised the aide to negotiate with land owners.
While the paramount chief of Madi Drani Stephen notes that the issue of land is complicated and does not need a third party and advised that Katuramu needs to come and talk to the leaders and communities in person.
Chief Drani said “we do not entertain negotiation for land by proxy or else you end up dealing with a cone man or land grabbers”.
Mawadri Richard the field agent John Sanyu Katuramu divulged that, the NGO has already acquired 281 acres of land in Tanyaka village in Itirikwa Sub County and is on the verge of acquiring another chunk of land in Pakele and Ofua sub-counties.
The leaders in the three sub-counties when contacted expressed ignorance explaining that they have never been approached for land for the project in question.
The New World Rehabilitation and Reintegration Centre [NWRRC] is a consortium between the, End-Time Redemption Ministry and United True Christian Brotherhood, both are American founded ministries.
The mission of the project accordingly is to give hope to the vulnerable people in society including; former inmates, youths, the elderly, street children, orphans and widows.
John Katuramu who was the prime minister of Tooro was charged and sentenced in the high court of Kampala with murder and was kept in Luzira prison for a long period and was released after completing his jail term.
According to a legal expert, land laws are applied indiscriminately in Uganda, most of the NGOs and government agencies demand for free land for putting up projects and usually, the demand is placed in form of intimidation like you either give the land or we relocate the project.
The experts cite, chunk lands given for the industrial hub, in Pakele sub-county, the land for the presidential lodge in Pachara sub-county, the land given for the settling the refugees in 19, refugees settlements, this he notes is slowly but surely depriving the communities of their land and the leaders are not paying attention to this sensitive matter.
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