Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Muwenda Mutebi’s Kigo Land war with city tycoon Hamis Kiggundu, the proprietor of the Ham Enterprises Limited has deepened after Ham’s lawyers called for the prosecution of Buganda Land Board (BLB) boss Bashir Kizito Juma over conflict of interest.

Kabaka through his lawyers led by Buganda Attorney Christopher Bwanika, lawyers from K&K Advocates and S&L Advocates petitioned the registrar Land Registration John Karuhanga seeking the cancellation of land titles Comprised on Kyadondo Block 273 plot 23974, 23976, 23975, 23977 and Kyadondo Block 273 plot 87,99, 110 situated at Kigo in Wakiso district.

Kabaka asserted that he is the rightful owner of the land and accused Ham of fraudulently conniving with officers at Wakiso district land board to grab his land which he inherited from his father and grandfathers.

He added that Ham admitted that he illegally obtained the land and accepted the cancellation which he strongly objected to in his defense before Karuhanga.

In his defense, Ham, through his lawyers led by Fred Muwema contended that he is the owner of the land after he legally obtained it from Wakiso district land board.

He claimed that the survey report which Kabaka Mutebi based on to argue his case is fake since it is not even dated and that’s the reason why he appointed a private surveyor William Matovu to conduct another survey report which contradicted with that of the Kabaka. He promised to present it to the registrar.

He pleaded to the registrar not to base on the testimony of Bashir Kizito Juma, the legal Attorney to Kabaka because he has a conflict of interest in the matter.

“Our contention is that there is an actual conflict of interest in the duties of Bashir Kizito Juma acting both as a public officer and a private officer of the complainant,” Ham’s lawyers said.

They added, “This type of conduct by Bashir Kizito Juma is against the Code of Conduct and Ethics of Public Service issued under the Public Standing Orders 2010.”

They divulged that conflict of interest is a punishable crime in Uganda especially where a public officer holds a position in a private body whose operations are in conflict with his official duties.

He added that the irony of the matter is that the freehold titles were granted by the Wakiso District Land, which employs Bashir Kizito Juma which means that he is both a witness and the architect of the complaint.

“This tribunal can therefore not entertain this conflict of public officers to pursue a conflicted complaint which derogates all best practice in public law. In our considered view, entertaining this complaint as presently filed is to perpetuate illegality and a constitutionally prohibited act,” they stated.

Ham pleaded with Karuhanga’s tribunal to dismiss the complaint and declare him the rightful owner of the said land.

Bashir Kizito Juma is the head Corporate affairs, operations and business development at Buganda Land Board (BLB), a corporate body that runs the kingdom’s land.

Karuhanga is set to declare his team’s decision this week.

By Sengooba Alirabaki

Nonsense State Minister for lands Dr. Sam Mayanja has vowed to put controversial city tycoon Moses Kalungi alias Bill Gates in his right place.

The seasoned lawyer and the proprietor of the famous Kampala Associated Advocates (KAA) lost his temper after Moses Jjemba, the deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Wakiso district played for him an audio recording where he was telling Kalungi to attend the minister’s meeting at Busukuma division Wakiso district to resolve a land dispute he is involved in with the over 200 bibanja holders.

“The RDC gave me recordings of Bill Gates calling President Museveni a fake president who can do nothing to him. Bill Gates said that if the President wants to give land to the people of Busukuma, let him take them to his Kisozi or Rwakitura land. He even boasted that he was the one who bought fuel for me and I had no powers to summon him.

We are going to prove to that fake Bill Gates that he is nothing, I was there on orders of the president who he called fake,” Mayanja said.

Mayanja explained that it all started when two boys from Busukuma stormed his office last week crying for help after Kalungi secured a Court Order to evict them from their land.

He told them to prove that the land was theirs by providing documents concerning their bibanja and documents from local authorities backing up their ownership which they did the next day.

He revealed that before going to Busukuma last Friday, he first talked to the RDC and asked him for security like he has always done before visiting any area where there are land wrangles.

However, when he reached on the ground, there were no police officers. He had to depend on the SFC Commandos assigned to him for his personal security.

“The RDC assured me that he talked to the OC Station Busukuma and he guaranteed that police will provide security but when the time reached, he refused to pick our calls. The area residents later told me that the entire security in the area is on Kalungi’s payroll that is why he thinks even the President cannot stop him from evicting poor bibanja owners in Busukuma,” Mayanja divulged.

He added that Kalungi uses a lot of impunity in his bid to evict bibanja holders on the 50 acres in Busukuma.

His impunitive acts include demolishing houses and property.

The minister insisted that Kalungi compromised the judiciary and secured a Court Order which was given to him by the Henry Kaweesa Isabirye, the High Court land division Judge.

During the meeting with Bibanja owners, Mayanja told them not to allow Kalungi to evict them because the Court Order he is using is premature given that he has not followed all the procedures put in place by president Museveni before executing any Court Orders.

He explained to local people of Busukuma the procedures of executing a court Order.

He told them that once court issues an order, it should first be checked by the district security committee, then forwarded to the Minister of Lands who studies court’s recommendations before approving the eviction.

He assured them that Kalungi never followed this process.

He assured them that their occupancy as bibanja owners is legal and the constitution recognizes them as it recognizes the landlords that is why they should fight for their constitutional rights.

Mayanja promised the residents that he is going to make sure that he takes on Kalungi so that he stops his arrogance.

He promised to write to President Museveni, Rtd. Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafire, the Minister of Internal Affairs, IGP Martin Okoth Ochola to put in line their officers at Busukuma police station who have been compromised by Kalungi’s money.

Residents told Mayanja that Village Local Chairpersons and the area police are now working as land brokers and many widows and orphans have lost their land.

They accuse Kasambya Village chairperson, Senta Village chairperson and Busukuma village chairperson.

This is not the first time that Minister Mayanja is facing off with city tycoons under their umbrella the Kwagalana club which he said is a group of land grabbers.

Kalungi is a brother to Godfrey Kirumira another city tycoon.

We tried to reach Bill Gates for a comment but his known phone numbers were off.

By Sengooba Alirabaki

National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate in the 2021 mayoral race for Soroti City, Ejoku Elias  has been murdered in cold blood and his body dumped in Mulago hospital.

According to reports, Ejoku went missing days after NUP party leaders organized a coordination meeting in the region.

It is alleged that the deceased has been receiving threatening phone calls from unknown people who called themselves area security bosses. These people accused him for hosting the Kamwokya delegation that had come to rally for support in the region under the impending ‘Kunga’ drive.

According to credible sources, when Ejoku went missing, his known phone contacts were switched off until his body was recovered dumped at Mulago mortuary this morning.

NUP EULOGISES

Leader of Opposition Mathias Mpuuga however said that much touted security cameras will help them to track down his assailants.

“My deep sympathies go out to the family of Comrade Elias Ejoku & the @NUP_Ug fraternity. We hope the much-touted security cameras will help us to track down his assailants,” he said.

NUP Secretary General Lewis Lubongoya said the party has kicked off investigations into the cause of Ejoku’s violent death.

“We are trying to establish how our comrade, Ejoku Elias met a very violent death. He was dropped at Mulago and by the time his family got wind of it, his body was in the mortuary, with visible injuries on his head & hands. We are waiting on the post-mortem report,” Lubongoya said.

By Kalamira Hope