A 120-acre parcel of land meant to nurture Uganda’s next generation of leaders is now at the heart of a deepening ownership battle, with government officials warning of illegal takeovers, expired legal documents, and internal sabotage.
In a letter dated July 25, 2025, Minister of State for Lands Sam Mayanja sounded the alarm to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, seeking urgent intervention over what he described as escalating mismanagement and unauthorized possession of land and assets belonging to the Uganda Scouts Association.
The contested land—home to the National Scouts Camping Centre in Kazi, Wakiso District—has become a flashpoint for rival claims from historical estates, cultural institutions, and even members within the Scouts Association itself.
Mayanja’s letter to Brig. Gen. Henry Isoke, who heads the Anti-Corruption Unit, follows a separate warning from the Chief Commissioner of the Uganda Scouts Association, Ms. Alice Nyiramahoro. She cited internal power struggles and unchecked land grabbing as critical threats to the future of the historic youth facility.
Multiple entities now claim ownership, including the Buganda Kingdom (under the 1993 Traditional Rulers Restitution Act), the estate of the late H.H. Daudi Chwa II, and a Scouts faction pointing to a 1988 leasehold. However, after reviewing historical and legal records, Minister Mayanja determined that the Daudi Chwa II estate holds the most credible claim—anchored in mailo land rights upheld by the 1967 Constitution.
Mayanja proposed that 100 acres be transferred to the Uganda Scouts Association, and the remaining 20 acres assigned to the estate of the late Omulangira G.W. Mawanda. However, a critical roadblock exists: the letters of administration for both estates have lapsed, placing the matter under the purview of the Administrator General.
Adding urgency to the situation, Mayanja revealed that groups from both within the Scouts Association and the Mawanda family have already taken physical control of portions of the land—raising fears of encroachment and asset stripping.
“This matter demands urgent and high-level intervention to safeguard national youth assets and prevent further illegal occupation and mismanagement,” Mayanja wrote.
He also pointed to a 2017 presidential directive that placed the Uganda Scouts and Girl Guides Associations under the Ministry of Education and Sports. He urged the ministry to finally act—by drafting a statutory instrument that clearly defines governance, financial transparency, and land management for the associations.
Minister Mayanja requested that Gen. Isoke coordinate with key institutions, including the Ministry of Lands, the Administrator General, the Ministry of Education and Sports, and the Military Police—who currently maintain security at the Kazi site—to undertake a full investigation.
As government bodies scramble to resolve the legal entanglements, the fate of Uganda’s largest Scouts training ground—and its mission to build disciplined, community-minded youth—remains uncertain.
