The Management of the Mandela National stadium has accused the Uganda Land Commission of deliberately refusing to transfer the 120acrage land into the stadium's name.
In 2017,the stadium management petitioned the Bamugemereire commission for intervention on grounds that they tried to seek help from relevant ministries and privatization unit to have the land title transferred but all in vain.
The stadium managing director Jamir Ssewanyana Mpagi revealed this today before the ongoing land probe commission chaired by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire.
The stadium management had appeared before the commission of Inquiry into land matters seeking its intervention claiming that for the past 8 years, they have tried to engage the Uganda Land Commission to transfer the said land but all in vain.
And as they interface with the commission, Ssewanyana has revealed that in 1989, government acquired two blocks; 1334.1 and 3391 at Kyandondo measuring more than 49 Hectares which was to construct a stadium for purposes of promoting sports and other social economic activities.
Ssewanyana however explained that their plans have been sabotaged because up to date, Uganda Land Commission has not given them a land title to the said land.
He has further explained that currently, the stadium can only utilize half of the acquired land while the remaining 60 acres at the hands has been encroached on by over 300 tenants.
Ssewanyana who has managed the stadium for the past seven years has also expressed fear over the increasing number of encroachers whom he says will eventually take over the whole land since their number keeps on increasing everyday that passes.
He has testified that the stadium is also under threat from about 297 indigenous families by then who are also seeking to be compensate about 1.47 billion after government took over the said land.
He says that the ministry of finance mist set aside the said money to see that those claiming ownership of the land are compesated.
Meanwhile, the management has also revealed some of the encroachers on the stadium land including Sports View Hotel swimming pool and parking lot , part of Kireka prayer palace church and school , former Kiira Town council mayor Mugerwa Mamerito.
The town clerk is said to constructed a commercial building and gone ahead to rent out part of the contentious land to a pavers construction company.
Other encroachers include a native Doctor who claims a spirit called Nambuule drove him on the stadium land, Kireka Veterans group and Bweyogere central market .
Ssewanyana has mow appealed to justice Bamugemereire to invoke the commission powers and prevail over the Uganda Land commission to transfer the tittle into Mandela National Stadium and
also chase away the encroachers.
He has expressed fear that if this is not done, some stadium activities including econstruction of an indoor arena may not be possible.