Tayebwa explains status of Nakivubo land acquired in 2018

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The deputy speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has distanced himself from the demolition exercise which took place last Saturday on the disputed land in Nakivubo.

On Thursday, March 12, 2026, Tayebwa issued a statement where he condemned the demolition and also expressed sympathy with the people whose property was destroyed.

“I hope the KCCA and the police are investigating the matter, so whoever is responsible should be held to account.

“It is true that I obtained a lease for a plot in the Nakivubo area in 2018. This was done through the formal and legal processes available to any citizen-I applied, followed the stipulated procedures, and paid all requisite fees like anyone else,” Tayebwa stated, adding that, “For those suggesting that I acquired this land due to current position as Deputy Speaker of Parliament, please note that I obtained the lease in 2018 long before I assumed this role and at time when held no ministerial or an office that could influence such transaction.”

He, however, refuted the various social media posts alleging his involvement in the recent partial demolition exercise around St. Balikuddembe Market, commonly known as Owino Market, where one of the affected plots is said to be registered under his name.

According to Tayebwa, he acquired a 25-year lease on the said land located on Plot 22A, on May 01, 2012, through the Kampala district land board and later registered it on April 26, 2018, under instrument No. KCCA-00049482.

However, under unclear circumstances, KCCA reclaimed the land from Tayebwa, promising to give him an alternative area for unknown reasons.

In an interview with the New Vision, Tayebwa told us that when KCCA approached him, he did not hesitate to the city manager’s proposal, on the grounds that they give him another area or compensate him.

“Ugandans need to know that I no longer own any property at Nakivubo, and to put the facts clear, I do not even have any interest there. Well, I followed the rightful procedure and acquired a piece of land down there, but I later lost it to KCCA and to date, I am still waiting for them to either give me an alternative land of similar value, or compensate me, nothing else,” he said, adding that,” When I heard some people dragging my name into Nakivubo demolition, I got shocked, it was even vacant at the time when I expressed my interest some years back, before I was appointed a deputy speaker,” he added.

KCCA spokesperson Daniel Nuweabiine explained that the Authority had to take over the said land.  

“Kampala district land board, which granted a lease to the Deputy Speaker, is an independent entity; however, as the authority, they later realised that the said land was urgently needed for something else, other than what the claimant wanted to use it for,” said Nuweabiine.

He added that this prompted the KCCA  to enforce their lawful constitutional mandate and decided to reclaim it, but agreed to give Tayebwa an alternative land, which we intend to fulfil after their committee’s sitting, expected anytime from now.