Kampala — The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has resolved to demand vacant possession of more than 100 acres of land still occupied by businessman Amos Nzeyi at Temangalo in Wakiso District, after nearly two decades of failed attempts to complete a land-swap arrangement.
Appearing before Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE), NSSF Managing Director Patrick Ayota told lawmakers that the Fund has decided to enforce its ownership rights following repeated unsuccessful efforts to secure suitable replacement land from the vendor.
In 2008, NSSF purchased approximately 463.87 acres of private mailo land at Temangalo from Nzeyi and Arma Limited for about Shs11 billion. The acquisition was intended to support a major mixed-use development, including thousands of affordable housing units, commercial spaces, schools and other infrastructure roughly 17 kilometres from Kampala.
Under a post-sale memorandum of understanding, Nzeyi was permitted to retain roughly 100–108 acres containing his existing developments — including a house and farm — pending a land swap. The agreement required any replacement parcels to meet three strict conditions: they must be adjacent to the NSSF land, free of squatters or encumbrances, and suitable for the Fund’s planned use.
Ayota informed the committee that none of the alternative pieces of land offered by Nzeyi between 2014 and 2026 satisfied all three requirements. As a result, the Fund has served an eviction notice and is now seeking full vacant possession of the property it holds title to.
“The alternative land that has been given to the Fund over the years has failed to meet the three conditions, which is why the swap agreement has not been effected,” NSSF officials told COSASE. The Fund currently controls more than 300 acres of the original purchase and is advancing plans for phase-one development that includes hundreds of residential units, with pre-sales previously targeted for later this year.
The Temangalo transaction has a long and controversial history. It triggered a major parliamentary probe in 2008 over the purchase price, valuation discrepancies and alleged conflicts of interest involving senior political figures linked to Arma Limited. Subsequent claims by a Canadian-based Asian family asserting historical ownership of part of the land added further legal complexity, though courts have largely upheld NSSF’s title.
COSASE members expressed concern over the prolonged delay and questioned why the unusual side agreement was allowed to persist for 18 years. The committee also directed parliamentary police to inspect the site to verify its current use, including reports of farming activities on the disputed portion.
NSSF maintains that the titles are securely in its name and that reclaiming the remaining acreage is necessary to unlock the full potential of the Temangalo project for the benefit of its savers. Nzeyi has not publicly responded to the latest developments.
The case underscores ongoing challenges in land administration and the slow resolution of high-value disputes involving public institutions in Uganda. Further updates are expected as the eviction process advances and COSASE continues its oversight of the Fund’s investment