EC Home Wetland Saga: Electoral Body Boss Justice Simon Byabakama Denies Pocketing any Bribe from Anyone

The chairman of the Electoral Commission, Justice Simon Byabakama Mugenyi has shed light on claims that top officials at the Commission were given bribes worth UGX29Bn to approve of a wetland in Luzira for purposes of erecting a permanent home.

The wetland belongs to an Asian proprietor of Property Services known as Karia Pradip who, it has been claimed, is working stealthily with a big man in President Yoweri Museveni’s backyard, to sell the incumbered wetland to the electoral body.There are two pieces of land being touted for the commission to buy. The other is located in Kakajjo – Bweyogerere within the vicinity of UBOS headquarters.

On this Bweyogerere land, is a storied building, which the owner, a senior physician, Godfrey Lule is ready to sell to government. Lule works at Nairobi Hospital.President Yoweri Museveni is said to be backing the purchase of Lule’s land because it isn’t a wetland. He has written offering his counsel in regard to the issue.

The other land is located in Luzira. It hosts a school known as Gems International,much as it had been preserved by NEMA for construction of a wastage management plant and other conservation related businesses. NEMA wrote in the past declaring this land a wetland. But it has since changed its stance following a request by the IGG, Betty Kamya to reopen the issue that had been sealed.

Yet a man has since come up to lay claim to the land. The man says the land belonged to his grandfather who bequeathed the same to him. That while he was away in Zambia for 22 years, some crafty people colluded with the city authorities to grab it. This is the same land whose transaction, impeccable sources have consistently and religiously informed us, is backed by President Museveni`s family member.

The controversial point of references above have since led some sections of the public to believe that those who are marketing the wetland, are using money to convince the big people in the Electoral Commission to yield to their desires. More eyebrows got more blown when, the government valuer supposedly worked out a plan with the owners, to slash the originally quoted figure from UGX111Bn to UGX78Bn, as the final price for the property. This depreciation, in a space less than two months.

It has even been suggested that a total of UGX29Bn has since been passed around some big people in the commission to buy their nod to the deal. Yet the Electoral Commission boss, Justice Byabakama dismisses such a thing as total idle talk. “No one I know of among us, has ever taken a bribe as it is being suggested,” Byabakama took time off last night through a presser, to dispel this talk.

Much as the commission is in urgent need of a permanent home, Byabakama says, they are committed to do so without unduly influencing or being influenced by anyone. “Treat that as total lies. It is just not true and it cannot and never be,” Byabakama clarified. Away from Justice Byabakama`s dismissal of any foul play, this website has established that the Commission has collectively zeroed on the Luzira land, majorly basing on the acreage.

“The Luzira land is more spacious and will help the Commission to do away with renting space for several services,” an inside source informed us of the Commission`s wish. Those for the Luzira land believe that with it to their possession, “this business of closing Jinja Road and or Kyambogo area for nomination exercises and stuff will become history. The Luzira land has enough space for such exercises. This is not to mention the many warehouses we outsource for storage services,” the source offered.

Indeed, this revelation by the insider came on heels of our earlier possession of a letter by the Electoral Commission, to the PPDA, supposedly for approval of Luzira land procurement. “Kindly receive copies of both the report of investigation on the ongoing procurement of office premises for Electoral Commission Headquarters by the IGG and a copy of NEMA letter clarifying on the location of the property,” Leonard Mulekwa, the Secretary to the Commission wrote in a letter dated 30^th May 2022, to the PPDA, in search for his approval of the Luzira land.