Mbale district has fired the land board chairman, Davis Wakhane, for allegedly presenting forged academic papers to get the job.

Wakhane has been chairman since March this year. However, some councillors petitioned the district speaker, Muhammad Mafabi, challenging the chairman's academic credentials. A probe committee found that Wakhane presented a diploma in administrative law which he claims to have acquired from the Law Development Centre in 1986.

However, on verification, the committee led by its chairperson, Nasur Mabanja, discovered that such an award for the said course did not exist. The institute instead offers certificates for the course. While presenting the committee's findings, Mabanja who is also the councillor representing Namanyonyi sub-county, said it was not proper to keep Wakhane in office when he lacks the necessary qualifications.

He said: "Mr Wakhane was appointed on the basis that he had the required academic qualifications for the job but we have found out that he used forged papers after our investigations."

The district land committee must have at least one member with a qualification in law as well as knowledge of land related matters, the basis on which Wakhane was given the job. Wakhane was not available for comment.

The district chairman, Bernard Mujasi, said he would present another name for approval in the next council meeting.