Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) Chief Coordinator Gen. (Rtd) Caleb Akandwanaho aka Salim Saleh has publicly dismissed allegations circulating on social media linking him to a hotel at the center of a controversial wetland dispute in Busabala, saying he neither owns the property nor has any connection to the claims being made.
The allegations emerged from a viral TikTok video in which a resident accused the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) of working with Gen. Saleh to demolish people’s homes in the Busabala wetland area.
In response, Gen. Saleh issued a handwritten statement dated June 6, 2026, directly addressing the accusations and expressing concern over what he described as irresponsible use of social media platforms.
“I have seen a citizen on TikTok saying I own a hotel in Kampala and in a wetland,” Saleh wrote.
The retired general further rejected claims that he jointly owns the property with Natasha.
“He alleges that I own the hotel with Natasha,” the note states.
Saleh also criticized attempts to inject racial undertones into the debate, saying the property in question is private property and should not be used to advance unrelated narratives.
“He then likes to link this property to white race — this is private property,” he wrote.
Questioning the spread of unverified allegations online, Saleh asked: “What type of freedom is this?”
The statement comes amid growing public discussion surrounding wetland protection and enforcement actions in parts of the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA), where authorities have intensified efforts to reclaim and restore environmentally sensitive areas.
In what appeared to be a broader warning about land ownership controversies, Saleh hinted at future revelations concerning ownership of properties within the Kampala metropolitan area.
“Very soon we shall know who owns what in GKMA,” he wrote, before adding the words “WOW” and “Stay Tuned.”
The note also referenced several institutions and entities, including the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) and others, although he did not elaborate on the context of their mention.
Earlier, Operation Wealth Creation had issued a statement clarifying that Gen. Saleh does not own the hotel referenced in the allegations and had urged citizens to exercise their constitutional right to freedom of expression responsibly.
The organization emphasized the need for fact-checking and verification before making public accusations, warning that misinformation can damage reputations and inflame public tensions.
The dispute highlights the increasingly influential role of social media in shaping public discourse around land, environmental conservation and property rights, issues that continue to generate heated debate in Uganda’s rapidly expanding urban areas.
