Buganda Prince clashes with Kabaka Mutebi to court over land

  • by Dixon Kagurusi
  • June 27, 2017

A royal of Buganda Kingdom has dragged the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi to High court over 145 acre piece of land.

Prince Mohammed Kimera Ssemakookiro accuses the Kabaka for grabbing land that was donated to him on October 19, 1967 by his aunt, the late Princess Meli Alexaderena Nalinya Nakamanya and the late Prince Alifuledi Kiggala Kato.

Kimera says the Kabaka treats the land as official mailo/part of the 350 square miles that was returned to him, which is wrong and unlawful. The land in question is registered as block 203 at Kigobe, Lubigi, Lugala, Namugoona, Kasubi, Nakulabye and Nasaana.

“The defendant has illegally transferred the said land into his name and treats it as property of his institution,” He contends.

Kimera sued the Kabaka through Fitz Patrick Furah and Advocates.

Kimera, therefore, seeks a declaration that he is entitled to a consent letter and transfer forms for the land and a court order against the commissioner of land registration to issue certificate of title in his names.

He further seeks a declaration that the restoration of land by the Ugandan government under the Traditional Rulers Statute, 1993 to the Kabaka which was land privately owned before it was confiscated, is null and void and should be returned to its rightful owners.

Kimera further seeks a court declaration that the Buganda Land Board was not established by 1995 constitution and therefore it is neither constitutional nor a statutory agency.

He also wants court to issue an injunction, restraining the Kabaka and his agents from further interfering with the land and an order for cancellation of existing titles wrongly issued by the Kabaka.

Court documents indicate that under the Uganda agreement, 1900, land in Buganda was distributed to the Kabaka, Namasole, Princes and Princesses, Ssaza chiefs, regents, notables, 1000 chiefs, private owners and three missionaries society, who shared 9,050 square miles.

In 1995, Kimera says he sought permission from the Kabaka to survey and subdivide the land and he was permitted to do so by Kabaka’s private secretary Peter Mpanga as it was bequeathed and donated to him both in will and the deed of donation.

However, Kimera avers that he obtained prints (block 203, plot1, 5 and 6607) which were submitted to the commissioner land registration for the issuance of the certificate of title.

But, the commissioner, land registration stated that it could not issue the titles to Kimera without the consent and transfer signed by the Kabaka.