The land title for the former offices of the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) in Bugoloobi has gone missing, according to a report by the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities, and State Enterprises (COSASE).
The report highlights concerns raised by the auditor general for the financial year ending June 2023, stating that the missing land title poses a significant risk to the Commission’s property. As per Treasury Instruction 2017, a government entity is considered to have control over land only if it possesses the title deed.
The missing title for the Bugoloobi property, measuring approximately 0.180 hectares, was first noted in the financial year 2019/20. Efforts to recover the title have included filing a report with the police, submitting an application for a special title to the office of the Registrar of Titles, and placing a caveat on the land.
Additionally, an application for a special title was submitted to the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) land office. However, COSASE noted that despite these efforts, the application for a special certificate was lodged in May 2023, and as of over a year later, KCCA has not issued the certificate.
The committee commended the accounting officer’s actions to secure the property and urged the KCCA land office to expedite the issuance of the special title within one month from the date of the report’s adoption. A formal report on the progress was requested to be submitted to parliament.
RELOCATION AND RENTAL COSTS AT KINGDOM KAMPALA
The report also highlighted that the EOC has moved its offices from Bugoloobi to Kingdom Kampala, where they are renting 2,300 square metres of space at an annual cost of Shs 2.5 billion. This relocation has left the Bugoloobi property vacant and at risk of being grabbed, especially since the property has not been listed in the government asset register.
EOC officials explained that the Bugoloobi premises are no longer adequate to meet their operational needs. The site is reportedly too small to accommodate staff, tribunal sessions, and other facilities such as a resource centre, boardroom and stores
Additionally, they claimed that the building is dilapidated, with leaking roofs and flooding during the rainy season due to its location in a wetland.
However, the MPs questioned the rationale behind the decision to rent office space at such a high cost. They suggested that the Shs 2.5 billion annual rental fees could be better utilized to renovate and expand the Bugoloobi property in phases.
Furthermore, the claim that the premises are located in a wetland was disputed by the MPs, as no evidence supported this, and they raised concerns about the omission of the property from the government asset register. The committee called on the relevant authorities to address these issues and ensure the proper management of the EOC’s assets.
