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In Summary
However, other sources within the Diocese have since revealed that tension has been mounting between the Diocese’s top hierarchy and some members of the Diocese’s Lands Committee who have been opposed to the giveaways
A cross Section of Christians in Busoga are up in arms against the leadership of Busoga Diocese, accusing it of arbitrarily selling and leasing off large chunks of the Church’s land and other assets.
In a November 25 letter addressed to the Diocesan Secretary and copied to among others the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, 174 members of the laity led by Mr Tucker Mugogo, accuse the leadership of the Diocese which is led by Bishop Michael Kyomya and Diocesan Secretary, Rev David Kaluya, of betraying the Christians in whose trust they are meant to maintain the Church’s assets.
“It has come to our clients’ knowledge that some members of the Diocesan leadership have without lawful authority and in detriment to the Diocese sold off, leased and or mortgaged prime properties of the Diocese without the consent, knowledge or benefit of the Christians and the Diocese at large,” they wrote through their lawyers.
The Christians have given the Diocese a seven day ultimatum to present them with an inventory of the Diocese’s assets lest they be dragged to court.
“We demand that you within seven days from the receipt of this letter deliver to us a detailed inventory of the Diocese’s assets (available land and other assets) plus their status and copy the same to other relevant organs of the Church,” they further write in parts.
Though the group did not list any of the properties that the Diocese has since boarded off, sources within the Church have since revealed that St James Secondary School was leased off to a group of Kampala businessmen way back in 2007, while all the land on St James’ square in the center of Jinja town has since been leased off to various business personalities.
Other pieces of land in Masese on the outskirts of Jinja, Iganga town, Namutumba and Kamuli are also said to have been sold off under unclear circumstances and the group of petitioners is now afraid that more land around Christ’s Cathedral in Bugembe is due to be sold off.
“Our clients have been reliably informed that there are plans to further dispose or alienate portions of land belonging to the Diocese in several parts of Busoga under unclear circumstances and without a clear benefit to the Church and Christians,” the Christians further pointed out in their letter.
The Diocesan Secretary, Rev David Kaluya, declined to discuss the matter on Sunday.
“I cannot discuss that right now. We have just been in service” he said curtly before hanging up on phone.
However, other sources within the Diocese have since revealed that tension has been mounting between the Diocese’s top hierarchy and some members of the Diocese’s Lands Committee who have been opposed to the giveaways.
The source revealed that the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Kampala Association for Busoga Development, Eng. Patrick Batumbya, had been summarily sacked from the committee while others who are deemed ‘big headed’ are never invited for meetings.
“It is true that Eng. Batumbya was recently thrown out while some of us who have never been sacked are never invited to meetings for reasons best understood by them,” said the Speaker of the Busoga Lukiiko, Mr George Patrick Mutyabule.
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