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Apostle Grace Lubega, the lead pastor of Phaneroo Ministries International, has opened up about the hoops he went through to acquire a prime 4-acre plot on the government-owned Nakawa-Naguru land.
Lubega, at a recent church event, expressed gratitude towards Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs, Hon. Hajjat Minsa Kabanda, who went out of her way to help them secure the land for his church despite fierce opposition.
The church, he said, had paid for the property and had all necessary documentation, but encountered resistance from several parties who had an interest in the land.
According to Lubega, it took the intervention of President Yoweri Museveni who heard about the issue and issued a directive to release the property.
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The matter was subsequently placed in the hands of Hon. Hajjat Minsa Kabanda, who Lubega credited with fighting tirelessly for Phaneroo Ministries.
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Minister for Kampala Minsa Kabanda
Minister Kabanda's Role in the Land Dispute
Apostle Lubega revealed how Kabanda, despite being a Muslim, fought for Phaneroo as if she were a Born-again Christian.
“She is a Muslim, but she fought for us like she was Born-again. She has done things I will never tell you,” he said.
“Believe me, while some Christians were fighting us, she was fighting for us. Hon Minsa, in the history of this Ministry, you will always be remembered.”
Parliament’s Cancellation of Land Titles
The land acquisition by Phaneroo Ministries, alongside three other companies, has been a subject of controversy, particularly after the Ugandan Parliament's Adhoc Committee investigation into the distribution of land from the Uganda Land Commission (ULC).
In May 2023, Parliament voted to cancel the land titles of Phaneroo Ministries and three other investors—Internal Medicine of Virginia PC, Master Links Uganda Ltd, and Arab Oil Supplies and Exploration Ltd.
The cancellation was based on an investigation that found that ULC had ignored its own established criteria for land allocation.
Dan Kimosho, the Chairperson of the committee, stated that none of the four entities, including Phaneroo Ministries, met the necessary qualifications for land allocation under ULC’s terms.
The committee’s report accused ULC of overlooking key factors such as the proof of legal existence, audited accounts, and tax compliance among the applicants.
Apostle Grace Lubega of Phaneroo Ministries International
Controversy Surrounding Phaneroo’s Land Allocation
In particular, MPs raised questions over why Phaneroo was allocated 4 acres of land when it was initially set to receive just 3 acres.
The committee cited additional concerns, such as Phaneroo’s lack of experience in handling similar projects, no proof of source of funding, and the church’s status as a company limited by guarantee, which allegedly barred it from conducting business.
The committee also noted the absence of tax compliance documentation.
Phaneroo at the time had paid Shs 1.2 billion as a premium for the land, along with Shs 60 million in annual ground rent, according to the committee report.