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Kayunga authorities in panic as family claims headquarters land
A sign post which late Kalya's family put at Kayunga Sub County offices on March 4, 2022. PHOTO | FRED MUZAALE
What you need to know:
- The family's move has sent shockwaves among leaders of the two entities, who had for long thought the land belonged to Buganda Kingdom. The land measures 10 acres.
Local leaders in Kayunga Town Council and Kayunga Sub-County, Kayunga District are in panic after a family repossessed the land on which the two local governments have their offices.
The family of the late Malaki Kalya has since erected a signpost with inscriptions "Kalya Estates, Land not for sale or lease”.
The family's move has sent shockwaves among leaders of the two entities, who had for long thought the land belonged to Buganda Kingdom. The land measures 10 acres.
On the land, are buildings built in 1930s that belong to the Buganda Kingdom and offices in which Kayunga Sub-County has been operating for over 50 years. It is on this same land where Kayunga Town council offices sit. The offices of both local governments are adjacent to each other.
Mr Musa Wamala, the administrator of late Kalya's estates said on Wednesday that they had "repossessed their land".
"All I can say is that it is our land," he said in an interview. He refused to divulge more details on how they would handle the sitting tenants.
But another family member of the late Kalya who preferred not to be named said it is now up to all sitting tenants to go and negotiate with them (Kalya family).
"We shall talk with them [sitting tenants] and if they want they can pay us and settle on the land permanently," a family member said.
During a recent mediation meeting between Kalya's family, Kayunga Sub-County, Kayunga Town council leaders, Buganda Kingdom and Brig James Kinaalwa convened by the Resident District Commissioner, Mr Ssempala Kigozi, the Buganda Kingdom failed to produce a land title for the contested land.
Brig Kinaalwa, a serving Army officer is currently erecting a commercial building on the same disputed land which Kalya's family says is illegal.
But the Kayunga Town Mayor, Mr Magid Nyanzi, said they are now in a dilemma as they don't know their true landlord.
"We are waiting for the warring parties to settle their differences and when the right landlord is found, we shall go to him and negotiate for a way of buying the land which we occupy, we have the money," Mr Nyanzi said.
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Mr Joshua Kampi, the Kayunga Sub County chairperson said they are trying to speed up construction of their new office block at Bubajjwe Village and vacate the disputed property.
"We are trying hard to finish construction of our new office block so that we relocate outside the town council," he said.
Buganda Land Board spokesperson, Mr Dennis Bugaya, scoffed at Kalya's family for erecting a signpost on the Kingdom land.
"Ownership of land is not proven by signposts, it is proven by a land title which we have," Mr Bugaya said. He, however, said the family has not yet petitioned BLB over the matter.
"When they formally write to us, we shall respond accordingly" he added.
Meanwhile, late Kalya's family has issued a notice of intention to sue Brig Kinaalwa whom they claim has defied orders by local authorities to vacate the contested land. But the UPDF officer says he bought the land from BLB.
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Brig Kinaalwa, according to documents seen by this reporter, bought the disputed land from BLB at a cost of Shs35m.
Kayunga District is a hotbed for land wrangles and a number of people have lost their lives and property in land-related disputes.
