Gen. Caleb Akandwanaho, popularly known as Gen. Salim Saleh, has dismissed allegations linking him to structures recently demolished during an operation by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) targeting encroachers in the Kalidubi wetland along the Entebbe Expressway near Kigo.
The controversy emerged after a viral TikTok video circulated online in which a resident accused NEMA of allegedly working with Gen. Saleh to demolish homes in the area. The individual further claimed that the senior presidential advisor on defence and security owns a hotel within the disputed wetland area.
However, in a statement shared across several social media platforms, including accounts associated with Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), Gen. Saleh rejected the accusations and described them as baseless and misleading.
“I have seen a citizen on TikTok saying I own a hotel in Kampala and in a wetland. He alleges that I own the hotel with Natasha. He then likes to link this property to the whole race. This is private property. What type of freedom is this?” Saleh stated.
He warned against what he described as the misuse of social media and irresponsible freedom of expression, saying individuals should avoid spreading unverified claims capable of misleading the public and damaging reputations.
Saleh also distanced himself from ownership of the structures affected during the NEMA enforcement exercise, maintaining that attempts to drag his name into the matter were politically and socially irresponsible.
At the same time, the four-star general hinted at possible future revelations concerning land and property ownership within the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA), which includes Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono, and Mpigi districts.
“Very soon we shall know who owns what in GKMA. WOW. ULC, KDLB, NHCC, BLB and others. Stay tuned,” he added.
Saleh referenced several institutions involved in land administration and management, including the Uganda Land Commission (ULC), Kampala District Land Board (KDLB), National Housing and Construction Company (NHCC), and Buganda Land Board (BLB).
The demolition exercise by NEMA in the Kalidubi wetland is part of ongoing government efforts to restore wetlands and curb illegal encroachment on protected environmental zones around Kampala and surrounding areas.
The incident has since sparked widespread debate on social media, with sections of the public questioning the ownership of developments in wetlands and calling for transparency in land administration within the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.
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