By Our Reporter
KAMPALA
Senior Lands Official in Sembabule district has been arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala for allegedly extorting over Shs1billion from land title applicants.
Kananura Emmanuel Champion who appeared before the court today, Wednesday, August 12, 2026 was slapped with charges of Embezzlement, Abuse of Office, Corruption and Obtaining Money by False Pretence and remanded until 17th August 2026.
According to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit that carried out the arrest, Kananura’s charges stem from allegations that, between August 2024 and August 2026, using his position as Senior Land Management Officer, Kananura allegedly collected between UGX 1.5 Million and UGX 6 Million from several applicants, with the total amount received estimated at nearly Shs1 Billion.
It is alleged that he presented the payments as a lawful requirement for obtaining Government land titles under the Land Management Institution Strengthening Grant, despite knowing that applicants were not required to make such payments.
The programme under the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development involved a Presidential directive implemented through the Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfer (UGIFT) Project. The key objective of the programme was to enable beneficiaries to obtain land titles at a lower cost.
However, during the Minister of Local Government’s Hon. Balaam Barugahara’s “Expose the Corrupt” Campaign in Ssembabule, several residents came forward and raised complaints that they had paid money to Kananura and other officials for land titles but had not received the promised titles.
A State House Anti-Corruption Unit statement issued today says investigations into these allegations are still ongoing with more officials expected to be arrested and charged.
