One of the most significant scandals that shook State-owned Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) was the illicit transfer of its land in Bugolobi, Kampala.
In a swift sequence of events, the land changed hands before ultimately being claimed by Margret Muhanga, the incumbent State minister for Primary Healthcare. Justice Arach-Amoko, who has recently passed away, exposed the fraudulent activities in a groundbreaking ruling.
On February 14, 2011, Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) sold a parcel of land in Bugolobi, Kampala, to Haba Group, a company owned by businessman Hassan Basajjabalaba, for a sum of Shs11.5 billion. Merely three months later, Haba transferred the property to a company named Deo & Sons, under a sale agreement dated May 16, 2011, for a staggering amount of Shs22 billion. Haba’s registration on the title took place on May 31, 2011.
In response, Paul Kihika, the then managing director of UBC, took action by drafting a letter to terminate the sale agreement between UBC and Haba. He further directed the commissioner for land registration to remove Deo & Sons from the land title and reinstate ownership to the State-owned broadcaster.
Dissatisfied with this outcome, Haba sought legal recourse in the High Court’s Land Division, accusing UBC and Kihika of unjustly annulling the sale agreement and interfering with their investment. UBC, represented by Kiryowa Kiwanuka, now serving as the Attorney General, vehemently contested the allegations and counterclaimed that the land sale was illegal. Kiwanuka cited Section 6(a) of the UBC Act, which mandates that any sale or disposal of UBC property must receive prior approval from the minister.
