Ministers Sam Mayanja and Milly Babalanda: Caught in a Web of Controversy
MPIGI — Lawyers representing businessman Moses Kazibwe in a land dispute involving Mawokota Block 369, Plot 1, measuring 372 acres in Bunjaako, Mpigi, have protested against the actions of Ministers Sam Mayanja and Milly Babalanda, accusing them of meddling in a land dispute that has already been resolved by the courts.
According to the lawyers, Mr. Kazibwe purchased the land in question in 2014 and possesses all the necessary documents to prove ownership. Despite court rulings in his favor, the ministers’ directives are tantamount to declaring that Mr. Kazibwe has no land, which is a clear disregard for the courts and the rule of law.
“The ministers’ directives are tantamount to declaring that our client has no land. This is a clear disregard for the courts and the rule of law,” Counsel Issa Ogomba, the legal attorney representing Mr. Kazibwe, stated. “We believe in following the legal process, and we will not stand by while our client’s rightful property ownership is deprived.”
Mr. Kazibwe purchased the land in 2014, began farming, and illegal squatters initially occupied a portion of the land. However, their numbers grew, and they started destroying Kazibwe’s properties. Despite a court agreement granting them 10 acres, they now claim more land and have appealed a recent court decision that faulted them for trespassing.
“It is illogical that my client would use the ministers’ names to acquire land in 2023 when he legally purchased the land in 2014,” Ogomba said. “My client has a reputation to uphold, and he will not let false claims tarnish his name.”
The ministers’ involvement has raised eyebrows, with Ogomba questioning their motives and the legality of their directives. The High Court of Mpigi is set to hear the appeal, with Kazibwe’s legal team challenging the ministers’ decisions and seeking protection for their client’s rightful property ownership.
“We have filed an application in the High Court of Mpigi, challenging the ministers’ decisions. We trust that the court will uphold the rule of law and protect our client’s property rights,” Ogomba stated.
Mr. Kazibwe has petitioned the Minister of Internal Affairs, Gen. Kahinda Otafiire, and the State House Land Department to intervene in the matter. “I am writing to bring to your attention a serious issue regarding my land on Bunjako Island, Mawokota. This land, which I have developed over the past seven years, includes a forest and a banana plantation and employs many Ugandan youths,” Kazibwe stated in his letter to Otafiire dated May 30, 2024.
“I urgently request your intervention to uphold the integrity of the court’s decision and prevent further illegal activities on my property. I have not evicted anyone from this land, as evidenced by the attached documents,” Kazibwe wrote to the State House Land Department in a separate letter dated May 29, 2024. He claims that Mayanja has directed individuals to occupy his land despite the ongoing court case, constituting an abuse of court orders and undermining the respect for judicial processes in Uganda.
He has urged the government to intervene and ensure justice is served. The businessman’s plea has ignited a heated debate on land ownership and the rule of law in Uganda.
The attached documents, including a consent judgment and a decree from the Magistrate’s Court of Buwama, confirm his ownership of the land and the court’s order for the occupants to vacate the premises.
