Mbale City, Uganda: The long-standing Mbale City Garage land dispute between garage operators and Church of Uganda’s St. Andrew’s Cathedral has once again reignited public outrage after garage youth mechanics pinned local government officials for sabotaging presidential pledges and grabbing the Kumi Road garage land, which President Museveni allegedly promised to allocate to them years ago.
During a tense dialogue held at the garage grounds on Friday, November 7, the Senior Presidential Advisor and Personal Assistant to the National Chairman (SPA/PA–ONC), Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye, interacted with hundreds of youth artisans who said they had been abandoned by the system, despite repeated presidential commitments to uplift their livelihoods.
‘We’ve Been Forgotten Under Museveni’s 40-Year Rule’
In a rare moment of bravery and frankness, the garage operators openly told Hajjat Namyalo that they had lost faith in government promises after decades of unfulfilled pledges ranging from toolkits and start-up funding to secure land ownership.
“As garages in Mbale, we have benefited nothing from President Museveni’s 40-year rule,” one youth mechanic declared, sparking applause and murmurs of agreement from his colleagues. “We were promised toolboxes, financial support, and land, but nothing has ever been delivered.”
The mechanics accused city officials and powerful individuals at the City Land Board of hijacking the Kumi Road garage land, a prime piece of property originally reserved for youth operations, and instead using it for private development under unclear circumstances.
Land Dispute Rooted in Years of Corruption, Double Allocation
The Mbale Garage land saga dates back to the early 2000s, when the then Mbale Municipal Council allocated a section of the Kumi Road Industrial Area to youth mechanics under the directive of President Museveni.
However, years later, the land was reportedly reallocated to private developers, some allegedly connected to corrupt city officials and land board members. The youth have since endured evictions, harassment, and extortion, with some claiming they were forced to pay bribes to keep operating on land that was once declared “theirs.”
Despite multiple petitions to the President’s Office, State House Lands Department, and Mbale City Council, no tangible action has been taken, and the youth continue to operate in uncertainty, surrounded by warehouses and private buildings that have encroached on their former workspace.
“We have been tossed from office to office for years,” another garage leader said. “We are now being called squatters on land the President himself gave us. It’s a mockery.”
Namyalo admits bureaucratic blockages, vows to act
Responding to the frustrated Bazzukulu, Hajjat Namyalo admitted that systemic corruption and administrative sabotage could have derailed the implementation of the presidential directives.
“I personally requested the President to fulfill your pledge on the Kumi Road land; you heard me clearly during the symposium last year,” she said. “There might be a blockage somewhere in the system, but I will trace it and make sure what belongs to you is delivered.”
The ONC boss vowed to report the matter directly to President Museveni, adding that she will not allow selfish city officials to frustrate government youth empowerment initiatives through corruption and land theft. “The President approved these pledges. Someone is frustrating his vision for the youth, and that person will be exposed,” she warned.
But the youth mechanics, most of whom are NRM supporters, expressed anger that their loyalty had not translated into tangible benefits. They called for a public audit into how the garage land was reallocated, and for suspension of officials involved in what they termed a “well-orchestrated land-grabbing scheme.”
“We are not beggars,” one youth leader said. “We are the real beneficiaries of the President’s pledge, not those grabbing land in his name. Let State House clean up this mess before the President comes to Mbale.”
While acknowledging their pain, Hajjat Namyalo urged the garage youth not to lose faith in the President’s vision, describing Museveni as a man of his word who would act once properly briefed on the rot within the local administration.
“We might have different political opinions, but President Museveni remains the right person to deliver on your pledges,” she said. “Let’s stand together and support him as we track what rightfully belongs to us.”
As Museveni’s Presidential Advisor on Political Affairs, she reaffirmed her commitment to ensure direct follow-up with the State House Land Directorate and the Ministry of Local Government to secure the garage land and expedite pending support programs under the Emyooga and PDM initiatives.
“This is the right time to demand what was promised,” Namyalo said. “Let’s stay united, patient, and focused as we fight for what is ours.”
Background
The Mbale City Garage, located in Industrial Division, Mbale City, has for years been at the centre of controversy involving double land allocation, fake lease titles, and political interference.
In 2018, the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) opened investigations into how part of the garage land was leased to private individuals, but the findings were never made public. The matter has since remained unresolved, leaving hundreds of youth artisans in limbo as city authorities and investors tussle for ownership.
As President Museveni prepares to visit Mbale on Monday, November 10, 2025, the garage land scandal threatens to overshadow the city’s preparations, with youth groups now demanding that the President personally intervene to end years of frustration and betrayal.
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