Impunity or investment? Scandal-hit Tian Tang Group spotlighted over predatory land deals

KAMPALA, Uganda — Behind the high-profile promises of a $500 billion economy and the creation of 200,000 industrial jobs lies a trail of unpaid debts, environmental degradation, and allegations of systemic extortion involving the Tian Tang Group Holdings Ltd.

While the State Minister of Finance for Privatization and Investment, Hon. Evelyn Anite, recently celebrated the group’s lead developer, Paul Zhang, for his role in mobilizing Chinese investment, a darker narrative is emerging from the communities where these industrial parks are situated. The government has earmarked 1,200 acres in Lusenke, Kayunga District, for Zhang to develop a new industrial ecosystem, but current victims of the group’s expansion warn that these new factories are being linked to massive land grabbing and a blatant failure to compensate local landowners.

The case of Faustino Kalyango, the Omwami wokumuluka of Nakanyonyi, Mumyuka Nakifuma Gombolola, in Kaggwe County, serves as a stark illustration of these predatory practices. Kalyango, a high-ranking official within the Buganda Kingdom, alleges that Tian Tang has defaulted on a land sale agreement dated Feb. 20, 2025. Out of an agreed UGX 230,584,000, he has received only UGX 50 million.

In a phone conversation, a frustrated Kalyango revealed that the predatory Chinese firm has refused to complete the payment one year later. He noted that while his neighbors, including Hajji Zubayiri Mukwaya, the Kibuuka family, Henry Sserukondo, the Kafeero family, and the Sebunya family, were all paid, he has been specifically targeted.

The company has refused me the agreed amount, Kalyango said. He pointed the finger directly at a company official identified as Michael, whom he accuses of intentionally sabotaging the settlement. He accuses Michael of blocking his payment after he refused to give him kickbacks on the land.

Kalyango noted that during several visits to Tian Tang Group Holdings Ltd. offices, he sought to engage Michael to resolve the matter, but these engagements resulted in delays, unclear responses, and no definitive action toward settlement of the outstanding balance.

The Buganda Land Board, which oversees land within the kingdom’s 18 counties, intervened on Feb. 12, 2026, with a stern letter demanding that the firm settle the arrears within seven working days. The board’s correspondence slammed the firm for its impunity and lawlessness, warning of an escalation to the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development.

The group’s history is littered with similar scandals. In 2021, the Uganda Railways Corporation sued the firm for UGX 12 billion for the alleged theft and vandalism of railway materials. In late 2024, four senior managers were remanded to Luzira Prison for attempted murder following a violent assault on rival Chinese investors. The group has also faced public outcry for encroaching on the protected Kitubulu Central Forest Reserve and for its role in the controversial proposal to relocate Luzira Prison.

Beyond land disputes, the conglomerate is accused of violating massive environmental safeguards, clearing protected areas without NEMA approvals. An official from NEMA warned that the group’s impunity will not be tolerated and that nothing will go on ground without the group following due processes, including compensation. The official noted that the group frequently uses bribes and threats to do business and relies on godfathers to threaten officials who are doing their work so that they can get approvals fraudulently.

Despite these mounting allegations, Minister Anite continues to urge Ugandans to support Mr. Zhang, praising his effort of mobilizing investors to come and invest here. While the government looks toward a complete ecosystem of schools and hospitals in Kayunga, the reality for many like Kalyango remains one of broken contracts and financial ruin.