Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka is currently under scrutiny due to his involvement in a controversial Shs 28.8 billion land compensation deal.

The issue revolves around an agreement between the government and the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) to compensate eight individuals for land requisitioned for a 132-kilovolt (KV) transmission line from Namanve to Luzira.

Allegations of conflict of interest and legal misconduct have emerged, particularly given that Kiwanuka’s law firm, K&K Advocates, also represents UETCL.

Shs 8 billion has already been paid out to claimants, despite warnings from the Ministry of Lands in 2017 that the land in question was designated as a wetland as early as the 1990s.

These concerns were brought to light in 2022 by Lands State Minister Sam Mayanja, who suggested that fraudulent activities might be involved, especially since the land titles were acquired in 2014.

The crux of the controversy lies in Kiwanuka’s dual role. He signed off on a consent judgment approving the compensation in his official capacity as attorney general and through his private law firm. This has raised ethical concerns and questions about a potential conflict of interest.

Kiwanuka has defended his actions, asserting on social media that there was no conflict of interest, as all procedures were transparent and legally sound.

However, critics argue that simply disclosing an interest does not absolve him of potential misconduct. According to legal experts, once a personal interest is declared, the official should step back from any further involvement, a standard Kiwanuka is accused of violating.

This situation adds to a series of controversies that have plagued the office of the attorney general. Kiwanuka’s predecessors have faced similar scandals, with some being forced to resign due to allegations of misconduct, such as the cases of Joseph Ekemu in 2001 and Kidhu Makubuya in 2009, both of whom were involved in financial scandals during their tenure.