Kabale Assistant Resident District Commissioner (ARDC) Martin Niwataho, accompanied by a team of district councilors, has taken district surveyor Prosper Ahimbisiibwe to task for alleged laxity in demarcating district-owned land, an omission they say is exposing it to grabbers.
The confrontation unfolded on Friday during an inspection tour of several district plots within Kabale Municipality. When councilors asked to see clear boundary markers, Ahimbisiibwe reportedly pointed to a single road-reserve peg as proof of the district’s limits, triggering an angry exchange.
Councillors Baker Champion (Kahungye Sub-county), Gilbert Niwanganyira (Butanda), Leopold Twesigye (Central Division), Verah Tumuhekyi (Central & Northern Division), District Vice-Chairperson Miria Tugume, Alex Owamani (Kamuganguzi) and the representatives for older persons, Richard Mporera and Flavia Kanagizi Nyinakiiza who is also the district speaker accused the surveyor of failing to safeguard public land.
Speaker Nyinakiiza and Councillor Mporera criticised Ahimbisiibwe for not informing the full council when Kabale Municipality’s physical planner carved new subdivisions out of district plots, asking whether the district still legally owns all its parcels.
CUE IN SPEAKER AND MPORERA…..ON THE MATTER……RR.ENG//
ARDC Niwataho warned Ahimbisiibwe that, unless boundaries are opened and clearly marked, he could face arrest “before next week ends.” He urged the surveyor to “stop fooling councillors” and to recognise the value of public assets under his custodianship.
CUE IN ARDC NIWATAHO….ON THE ISSUE…….RR.ENG//
In his defense, Ahimbisiibwe said some councillors had already formed a negative opinion of him, believing he intended to sell the land. He asked for more time to carry out a comprehensive boundary-opening exercise on all contested plots and reminded the meeting that the district council had previously resolved to hire an independent surveyor for the job.
CUE IN AHIMBISIIBWE…..ON THE MATTER…..RR.ENG//
