Agriculture Minister Tumwebaze Blocks Land Title Issuance in Sembabule Dispute

The Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Frank Tumwebaze, has cautioned the Ministry of Lands against issuing a land title for disputed government land in Sembabule District.

The land in question is located in Nabitanga Sub-county, Lwemiyaga County, and has become the subject of a growing ownership dispute amid allegations of fraudulent dealings linked to compensation claims for the planned Sembabule–Mubende road project.

The contested property, measuring approximately two square miles, lies in Kakinga Village. It was previously allocated by the government to Ssembeguya Estates Limited for a goat breeding project aimed at improving livestock quality and boosting household incomes.

In a letter dated March 24, 2026, addressed to the Minister of Lands, Judith Nabakooba, Tumwebaze explained that in 2013, the government signed a memorandum of understanding with Paul Ssembeguya, represented by Ssembeguya Estates Uganda Limited, to carry out improved goat breeding for local multiplication and export on Ranch 25 in Kakinga.

He noted that while the land was handed over for project use, it remained under the ownership of the Government of Uganda. The agreement was renewed twice—in 2015 and later—before expiring in 2025.

Tumwebaze said his ministry has since received complaints indicating that Ssembeguya deviated from the original purpose of the project and instead began leasing the land to private individuals.

More critically, the minister alleges that Ssembeguya is attempting to fraudulently acquire a land title through the Masaka Lands Office without government authorization.

“We have received reports of individuals attempting to grab government land. No land titles should be issued because this land belongs to the government,” Tumwebaze said in a phone interview.

He added that a committee led by Permanent Secretary Pius Wakabi Kasajja has been instituted to investigate the matter and establish the facts.

In a related development, the Ministry of Agriculture has written to the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), advising it not to compensate Ssembeguya under the ongoing Sembabule–Mubende road project.

However, Paul Ssembeguya maintains that the land rightfully belongs to him, claiming it was personally allocated to him by Yoweri Museveni in 2004 after the President visited his farm and commended his agricultural work.

Ssembeguya acknowledged that he does not possess a land title but argued that his more than 20 years of occupancy gives him a legitimate claim to ownership.

“The confusion arises because I acquired the land around the same time the project began,” he said.

Currently, part of the land is used for coffee growing, while other sections are leased to local farmers cultivating maize and beans.

Some tenants, however, accuse Ssembeguya of harassment, alleging that after leasing them land, he deploys workers—reportedly Congolese nationals—to intimidate and evict them.

“He rents us land, then sends workers who harass us and destroy our crops,” some farmers claimed.

Residents also allege that despite reporting these incidents to security authorities, little action has been taken.

The Lwemiyaga Member of Parliament-elect, Emmanuel Rwashande, blamed the situation on weak monitoring of public programs by security agencies and government officials.

Meanwhile, Greater Masaka Police spokesperson Twaha Kasirye said police had not previously received formal complaints but pledged to investigate the allegations, particularly those involving harassment by foreign workers.

Minister Nabakooba confirmed that her ministry will conduct an independent investigation.

“We are going to establish facts on the ground. We cannot rely on one side. Any action taken must follow the law, not force,” she said.

The dispute underscores broader concerns about land governance, misuse of public resources, and the potential exploitation of infrastructure projects for personal gain. As investigations continue, the case is expected to test the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability in land management.