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    What Killed Simbamanyo Tycoon Kamya? How Top Lawyer Tried To Use Justice Byabakama’s Electoral Commission Deal To Save His Empire…

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    In one of the meetings where the agenda was to strategise on how to save the business empire of the late Peter Kamya, the proprietor of Simbamanyo Estate limited, one of his friends, who is also a seasoned commercial lawyer proposed a multibillion Electoral Commission deal which he was very sure would save the fallen tycoon’s empire.

    Multiple credible sources have revealed to the mighty Grapevine that this happened in 2018 when Equity bank had started threatening to auction Kamya’s properties which he used as security when securing a loan.

    The buildings were Ssimbamanyo House behind Central Police Station in Kampala city and Afrique Suites situated in Mutungo.

    Kamya, who is a brother-in-law to former deputy Prime Minister Muganwa Kajura allowed one of his senior lawyers to negotiate the deal which involved looking for a new home for the Electoral Commission.

    “The lawyer’s idea was for Kamya to rent the entire building to the Electoral Commission and the money collected as rent be used to service the loan which the bank was very comfortable with but out of the blue, when the deal was almost concluded, the old man changed his mind claiming that his friend was working with the bank to impoverish him and that’s how the deal flopped,” a source said.

    He added that the deal was waiting for the greenlight from president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who was a good friend to Kamya.

    The source added that even the Ministry of Gender was ready to shift to another building.

    Another source said that the Electoral Commission was giving Kamya a big deal compared to what he was receiving from the Ministry of Gender and within 3 to 4 years, the bank’s loan would be fully paid.

    The source said that Kamya changed his mind after getting another opinion from another shrewd young city lawyer who convinced him that the loan he got from Equity bank was not favourable and it can be challenged in Court.

    Sources said that when the bank learnt about Kamya’s plan to challenge them in court, they hastily auctioned both securities to controversial city businessman Sudhir Ruperelia’s Meera Investments Limited and Ronald Luwangula’s Luwaluwa Investments Limited, a move that frustrated Kamya’s entire plan to save his empire.

    He tried to save his empire through courts of law by filing an application seeking a temporary injuction stopping the selling of the said property but he lost the application with costs.

    He further petitioned president Museveni to save his empire arguing that it was illegally sold.

    Unfortunately, after making wide consultations, especially from the Attorney General and Bank of Uganda, the big man advised Kamya to challenge the sale of his properties in courts of law.

    He explained to him that he has no alternative to save him since he was advised that his properties were legally sold.

    Without losing hope, Kamya instructed his new lawyers led by Fred Muwema to institute a suit in the High Court Commercial Division against Crane Bank, Meera Investment Limited, Luwaluwa Investment, and lawyers of Katende Ssempebwa Company Advocates were also joined in the suit.

    The matter was allocated to Justice Stephen Mubiru, the head of the Division.

    Kamya hired Kihika Byenkya and Company Advocates to join his legal team which successfully secured an order for discovery against the respondents.

    Justice Mubiru ordered the respondents to allow the petitioner to inspect their email exchange, bank accounts and phone call logs which were made in the period when his properties were sold, an order which raised dust at the commercial court.

    Lawyers from Katende Ssempebwa Advocates petitioned Justice Rubby Opio Aweri, the Chief Inspector of Courts claiming that justice Mubiru was biased and he has to be investigated over the matter.

    He was ordered to refer the entire Ssimbamanyo file to justice Opio which Mubiru refused to do.

    Mubiru insisted that Justice Opio didn’t have powers to ask for the said file from him and guided that the matter has to proceed but lawyers challenged his action at the Court of Appeal.

    In October 2022, Justice Cheborion Barishaki of the Court of Appeal issued an order stopping Justice Mubiru from proceeding with the matter until three justices of the Court of Appeal determine the respondent’s grievances.

    Sources who have been close to Kamya revealed that Justice Cheborion’s ruling shocked Kamya and from that time, his life changed and it worsened last month and was rushed to Nairobi where he died on Friday morning.

    Sources said that other Simbamanyo Directors are set to continue with the legal fight to rescue their empire.

     

    By Sengooba Alirabaki

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    CRIME

    Namuganza Slapped With Shs86m Court Costs For Abusing Her Office As Lands Minister…

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    Minister Persis Namuganza f

    Justice Jesse Rugyema of the High Court Civil Division Kampala has slapped Shs.86m Court costs on junior lands minister Persis Namuganza for abusing her office and trespassing on land belonging to 90-year-old Joyce Naddaba Galabuzi.

    In his judgment, justice Rugyema revealed that minister Namuganza together with Betty Nakaggwa, Hassan Sengendo, Namugera Kasekende and Jonathan Sebaddawo were served with the plaint and intentionally refused to file defense against the suit.

    “The defendants were duly served with summons to file defense and hearing notices several times as per affidavits of the service on record dated 2/12/2019 and 16/12/2022 including substituted service but none of the defendants filed a defense save for the second defendant who was in court on different occasions with various advocates for interlocutory application M.A N0 1854/2019 and M.A N0 1855/2019 seeking for injunctions arising from the suit but failed and refused to file defense. As a result, this court directed that the suit proceeded under 0.9 r.10 and 11 CPR,” the judgment reads in part.

    The judge based his judgement on the testimony from Naddamba who told court that she has been the registered owner of the said land situated on Busiro Block 489 plot 2708 formerly comprising Busiro Block 489 plot 166 at Nakawuka measuring 25 acres.

    She further told court that in June 2019, the defendants teamed up together and disrupted her activities on the suit land by deploying armed personnel on the directive of Minister Namuganza.

    She told court that Namuganza and the co-accused destroyed her properties by cutting down her poles and fence, crops and her workers were seriously beaten.

    She added that she got the land from her late husband Gabriel Birigwa Ssenkandwa Galabuzi who died of testate.

    Court also received a testimony from Mark Daniel Ntambi who is the youngest son to the plaintiff whose testimony corroborated with that of the plaintiff and was not challenged.

    In his judgment, the judge noted that it was illegal for Nakagwa to register a caveat on Naddamba’s land which she doesn’t own and it was wrong for the minister to deploy security personnel on the plaintiff’s land.

    “In the instant case, the plaintiff adduced evidence regarding the defendant’s obstinate conduct, they employed armed personnel who participated in the destruction of the plaintiff’s properties on the suit land on the orders of the 1st defendant who was abusing her political office. This is reflected in the tone of letters she wrote to RDC, DPC directing them to ensure that the other defendants access the contested land,” the judgment reads.

    The judge directed the defendants to pay general damages of Shs.50m to the plaintiff, Shs6m as manse profits, and Shs25m as punitive damages which carry interest of 24% per year from the date the judgment was issued.

    He further issued a permanent injunction against the defendants and their agents from further trespassing on the plaintiff’s suit land.

     

    By Sengooba Alirabaki

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    CRIME

    WAS OLAXES A DOUBLE SPY? Blogger Iculi Murder Investigations Take New Twist…

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    Fallen blogger Ibrahim Lubega Tusubira alias jjajja Iculi

    The country’s investigation agencies that were assigned to investigate the gruesome murder of blogger Ibrahim Lubega Tusubira alias jjajja Iculi are looking into a shocking new twist in his death tale.

    One of the seasoned investigators who is among those leading Iculi murder investigations revealed to theGrapevine that they are following a new clue that the deceased could have been a spy for the rebel outfit Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) even though he was also simultaneously taking on special security assignments for President Yoweri Museveni’s people.

    Investigators established that Iculi was among the deadly Tabliq  radical youths in early 1990’s who stormed Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) under the leadership of Jamil Mukulu Kyagulanyi, the founding ADF commander currently detained at Luzira Upper Prison.

    Iculi was among the few who survived arrest and went into hiding; others joined Mukulu and declared war on President Museveni’s government.

    If the clue is correct, Iculi is not going to be the first ADF sympathizer to be killed. Sources claim that a number of Muslim sheikhs who were recently gunned down had links to ADF leadership.

    Intelligence disclosed that when Sheikh Musa Bakulu took over ADF leadership after the arrest of Mukulu, a decision was taken to cut off communication with former operatives and if possible eliminate them on suspicious grounds.

    Sheikh Bakulu entered a multibillion deal with top terrorist groups like Al-shabab and Al-Qaeda who are facilitating fresh recruitments inside Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC) where they are camped.

    Iculi was shot dead early this month on his way to his home in Kyanja on the outskirts of Kampala City.

    At the time of his murder, Isma was working as a security informer for the state, to the extent that senior presidential adviser on security, Gen. Proscovia Nalweyiso gave him a new vehicle although it is publicly claimed that it was donated to him by a city businessman.

    Isma’s vehicle was among the three which the president bought for his defenders on the social media platforms. The other was given to music promoter Andrew Mukasa alias Bajjo.

    This website has exclusively been told that investigators are now trying to ascertain claims that Iculi could at one time have been an undercover agent for ADF, before he disagreed with them and dubbed them pigs.

    President Museveni claims that ADF has been behind the top profile murders in the country including the murder of sheikh Hassan Ibrahim Kirya, sheikh Mustafah Bahiga, former police spokesperson AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi, Maj Muhammad Kiggundu, former Arua Municipality legislator Yusuf Ibrahim Abiriga, attack on works senior minister Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala were he survived with injuries, her daughter Brendah Natongo Katumba and driver Sgt. Haruna Kayonda killed.

    ADF has since 1996 carried out terrorist activities in Uganda.

    Its bases are in eastern Congo where the Uganda army, UPDF, is currently pursuing them.

     

    By Levi Yasha

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    CRIME

    Mafias Have Infiltrated Your Security Organs – Former ISO Boss Warns M7; MPs Want IGP Ochola, Top Police Leadership Sacked…

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    Charles Rwomushana (R) and President Museveni

    Former Internal Security Organisation (ISO) operative, who is also doubles as security commentator Charles Rwomushana has warned President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to be very careful while analyzing the current gun violence that is sweeping the country.

    Exclusively speaking to theGrapevine, Rwomushana claims that there are forces that want to destabilize the country through security agencies.

    “It is high time for president Museveni to come out and tell the truth. The Museveni I know cannot be fooled that his minister, a former military officer, was killed by the bodyguard because of pay. No, he knows very well that there forces who want to use his security to overthrow him,” Rwomushana said.

    He advised the president to be very careful with people commanding his security because it might turn out that they have been infiltrated by foreign elements.

    He boasted that he has studied the situation in security agencies and reached a conclusion that the forces that are involved in gun violence have been building and now they have reached maturity to strike.

    He added that the forces that killed former junior labour minister Charles Okello Engola, Indian city businessman Uttam Bhandari, the proprietor of TFS Financial Services and Vlogger Isma Tusubira alias jjajja Iculi were the same forces that killed muslim sheikhs including sheikh Ibrahim Hassan Kirya, Mustafah Bahiga, AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi, Maj Muhammad Kiggundu, Yusuf Ibrahim Abiriga, Joan Kagezi among others.

    Rwomushana rubbished allegation that Pte. Wilson Sabiiti shot minister Engola because of pay insisting that there was a motive behind the incident.

    He thanked Museveni for establishing a special team to investigate the matter.

    President Museveni told mourners at Kololo airstrip last week that he has put up a select committee led by Col. Abdul Rugumayo whom he praised as an experienced operative capable of leading investigations and uncovering the truth concerning minister Engola’s death.

    Museveni also asked police leadership to come up with a detailed explanation on policeman Ivan Wabwire who shot and killed Bhandari who was demanding him a loan of Shs.2,130,000.

    Rwomushana also disparaged police allegations that Wabwire is mentally sick claiming that what the police wanted to do is to frustrate the investigation because of the fear of being exposed.

    Using his security expertise, Rwomushana insists that Wabwire killed Bhandari knowingly that’s why he did not kill  other people and returned the gun to CPS where he picked it from and took off without harming anyone else.

    “Those people know very well that you cannot try a person who commits a crime when he is not in his right mental senses. So they wanted to divert Ugandans from discussing serious issues to small issues of mental illness of the suspect,” he said.

    Rwomushana’s Narrative was supported by former Interpol boss AIGP (Rtd) Asan Kasingye who blasted his former collegues of trying to frustrate investigations by declaring Wabwire a mad man.

    Kasigye said, “I am sorry to say this. This line by the KMP/PRO that No. 67029 PC Wabwire Ivan is mentally sick, complicates the work of CID to pin him of murder and his subsequent conviction if charged. The PRO should have promised an investigation that would also focus on medical examination…”

    Rwomushana contends that if Museveni doesn’t handle the situation very fast, Kampala city and Buganda region is going to become ungovernable with gunmen taking over the control of the city.

    He cautioned that president Museveni can no longer tell Ugandans that Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) are the ones behind the ongoing killings like he has kept telling them because the truth is now is plain sight.

    He added that Uganda is heading towards urban warfare and he is not sure whether president Museveni has the capacity to manage it.

    During Gen. Edward Kale Kayihura’s tenure as the Inspector General of Police, president Museveni revealed that police was infiltrated with weevils and tasked Kayihura to clean up his house.

    Gen. Kayihura was later fired and is battling with treason related cases at Makindye based military court martial with his blue eyed boys.

    Rwomushana’s analysis was further supported by Kira Municipality legislator Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda who wants president Museveni to sack the top police leadership for sleeping on the job.

    “In other countries, the shooting of the minister, Iculi and Bhandari, would lead to the resignation of the police leadership, the army and the internal affairs minister,” Ssemujju said.

    He wondered why the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Martin Okoth Ochola and his men are not using the intelligence and violence they used on opposition politicians on gun men are killing innocent Ugandans.

    He revealed that he will never forget the situation he went through when former police boss Siraje Bakaleke arrested him for demonstrating against president Museveni’s government.

    He said that when he was driven to Naggalama police station where he was supposed to be detained, as they passed Gayaza, Bakaleke ordered the police vehicles which were transporting him to stop, he was very furious because they were so soft on him that he ordered that they put him in another car, where he was badly insulted and beaten.

    Ssemujju was supported by Mityana South’s Richard Lumu who told theGrapevine that the security situation in the country is out of Ochola’s hands because he has nothing to add or to remove and the only gift he can give to Ugandans is to resign.

     

    By Sengooba Alirabaki

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