Court to hear of application on Kabaka’s financial secrets
Kabaka Mutebi.
What you need to know:
- In the main case, Mr Mabirizi is challenging the Kabaka’s action requiring all his subjects living on the kingdom land to register their plots at a fee ranging between Shs100,000 and Shs600,000 depending on the location. Registration of land in Kampala, Wakiso or the surrounding areas is Shs600,000 while in the rural areas the owners pay Shs100,000.
- He is seeking for court declarations that Kabaka Mutebi’s actions through the Buganda Land Board to impose compulsory registration and fees and threats to evict people who will not register their land in the king’s name, are illegal and thus null and void. Kiwanuka also wants court to declare that such actions amount to an infringement on the subjects’ right to live on the land.
KAMPALA.
Court has set May 9 this year to hear an application in which a subject wants the Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Mutebi to present financial documents showing deposits made in connection with compulsory registration of people living on the King’s land.
High Court judge Patricia Basaza also directed the lawyers representing the Kabaka to file their defence by May 2 this year.
In January this year, Mr Male Kiwanuka Mabirizi filed an application seeking for orders to compel Kabaka Mutebi to produce bank statements in the names of Buganda Land Board for his inspection and internalisation to enable him prosecute his case.
Mr Mabirizi contends that the said documents are crucial in prosecution of the case in which he is challenging the compulsory process of registering people living on Kabaka’s land.
He also contends that the Kabaka’s land, where subjects are living, was returned to the king by the central government and is public land collectively owned by the people of Buganda.
Mr Mabirizi says the Kabaka is only holding that land in trust for his subjects but is not their landlord or master.
Mr Mabirizi also wants Kabaka Mutebi to produce the particulars of all titles for official mailo land, returned to him by virtue of the 1995 Constitution and the Restitution of Assets and Properties’ Act in terms of county, block number and plot number and other relevant particulars.
“The particulars of all encumbrances so far created on the same lands including but not limited to mortgages and leases and their terms of agreement if any. Details of the registration of all individuals in occupancy of that land indicating amounts paid by each person showing variances if any,” reads part of the application.
Justice Basaza also set May 23 this year for hearing of an application in which the Kabaka wants Mr Mabirizi to deposit Shs500 million before the court as security for costs before the main case is heard and determined.
Main case:
In the main case, Mr Mabirizi is challenging the Kabaka’s action requiring all his subjects living on the kingdom land to register their plots at a fee ranging between Shs100,000 and Shs600,000 depending on the location. Registration of land in Kampala, Wakiso or the surrounding areas is Shs600,000 while in the rural areas the owners pay Shs100,000.
He is seeking for court declarations that Kabaka Mutebi’s actions through the Buganda Land Board to impose compulsory registration and fees and threats to evict people who will not register their land in the king’s name, are illegal and thus null and void. Kiwanuka also wants court to declare that such actions amount to an infringement on the subjects’ right to live on the land.
