KAMPALA – President Museveni has ordered the Internal Security Organisation (ISO) to immediately vacate a piece of land in Namanve Industrial Park where a Chinese investor is to construct a shoe and leather tanning factory, PML Daily has learnt.
The Presidential directive was made at the request of Investment minister Evelyn Anite who had on Friday found officers attached to ISO occupying the land located on Block 113, Plot 1012 in Namanve.
Last Friday, Ms Anite made an impromptu visit to the site and was shocked to find soldiers guarding the land, deterring the investor, Landy Industries Ltd, from developing it.
This website has learnt that immediately after, Ms Anite petitioned the President over the matter.
This later morphed into a meeting between Mr Museveni, Ms Anite, Col Bagyenda and the Security minister, Gen Elly Tumwine.
The source said during the meeting, Mr Museveni directed ISO to vacate the land.
His directive, the source said, came after Ms Anite reportedly presented documents showing the rightful owner of the land.
On Tuesday, October 08, 2019, ISO moved ahead and withdrew its officers, paving way for the construction of the Shs55b ($15m) shoe and leather tanning factory.
Mr Hamza Galiwango, the Director of Lands at Uganda Investment Authority, on Tuesday evening said the site was cleared by sunrise yesterday.
“Officers were withdrawn from the site and in the morning we didn’t find them there. The investor has taken possession of the site and has started site clearance and backfilling,” Mr Galiwango said and added: “So activity is going on. We are glad that this impasse was resolved.”
Mr Galwango said the investor of Landy Industries Limited has since taken full possession of the site and started construction.
“The ground is now clear. Landy Industries have now promised that within three months, they will have finished construction,” Mr Galiwango said.
Mr Galiwango welcomed the development, saying it restores confidence among investors.
“It restores confidence among investors that the decisions taken by authority are the legal decisions and government continues to assure them that will give adequate protection and cover to ensure that they can quickly implement the proposals they submitted to us,” Mr Galiwango said
