The Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) has raised fresh questions over the continued occupation of about 50 acres of National Social Security Fund (NSSF) land in Temangalo, Wakiso District, nearly two decades after the property was purchased by the Fund.
The committee, chaired by Muwada Nkunyingi, conducted a physical inspection of the Temangalo property on Wednesday and found cattle grazing and farming activities taking place on part of the land.
The disputed section forms part of approximately 463.87 acres acquired by NSSF in 2008 in a transaction reportedly valued at about Shs11 billion.
According to Nkunyingi, the committee had previously been informed that businessman Amos Nzeyi, one of the original vendors, continued to occupy and use part of the property despite the land having been paid for by NSSF.
“The land looked fenced, and the title was said to be in NSSF’s names, but it was not accessible by NSSF. We therefore stopped by the fence,” Nkunyingi said.
The discovery has prompted the committee to seek explanations from NSSF and the former vendor over why vacant possession of the property has not been secured nearly 20 years after the transaction.
The Temangalo acquisition has previously attracted parliamentary scrutiny over the valuation of the land and claims surrounding the historical ownership of the Temangalo Tea Estate.
NSSF moves to enforce its claim
NSSF Managing Director Patrick Ayota told the committee that the Fund issued Nzeyi with an eviction notice in June 2026 after attempts to resolve the dispute through a proposed land swap failed.
Ayota said NSSF had been constrained by the need to pursue legal avenues rather than forcefully remove the occupants.
“Anybody will take you to court for anything, and when they take you to court, you have to let that court process go through,” Ayota said.
“Until it goes through, you can’t do much. We can’t break somebody’s leg as some other people do. We have to be legal as an entity.”
Isaac Ogwang, NSSF Senior Manager for Enforcement and Litigation, told MPs that the Fund had begun the process of obtaining a court order to secure access to the disputed section and enforce its rights over the property.
The original arrangement reportedly allowed Nzeyi to retain about 100 acres temporarily, with the parties expected to complete a land swap later. However, the replacement parcels proposed under the arrangement were reportedly deemed unsuitable, leaving the matter unresolved.
The committee’s inspection has therefore revived questions over how a public institution that paid for the land has been unable to obtain full possession of part of the property for years.
MPs scrutinise Temangalo housing project
COSASE also inspected the NSSF Temangalo Affordable Housing Estate, where construction is underway as part of the Fund’s broader investment strategy.
NSSF has unveiled plans for a mixed-use development of approximately 3,500 residential units, comprising bungalows, townhouses, villas and apartments. Prices are expected to start at about Shs90 million.
But MPs raised questions about the dimensions, design, workmanship and overall value for money of some of the units under construction.
Nkunyingi pressed project managers and engineers to explain the floor plans and measurements, particularly in relation to the projected selling prices.
The committee expressed concern that some houses could be relatively small compared with their expected market prices and demanded further clarification on the standards used in designing and pricing the units.
COSASE said it would examine the project’s design standards, room sizes, construction quality and value for money as part of its wider oversight of NSSF’s investments and operations.
The Temangalo development is intended to allow NSSF to invest members’ savings in property while contributing to the supply of housing.
Nkunyingi said the committee would continue examining the circumstances surrounding the disputed land occupation and obtain explanations from the parties involved before making its recommendations.
