Muhangi estate: Family questions Basajjabalaba’s motive   

KAMPALA- A row has erupted between family members of Charles Muhangi, a Kampala businessman who died last week and Mr Hassan Basajjabalaba, who pledged to support them secure the deceased's property from grabbers.

This followed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that gave equal shares to family members including his brother, mother and children in Horizon Coaches Limited.

But some family members have contested the MoU, accusing Mr Basajjabalaba who is among the five witnesses to the MoU, for interfering in the administration of the deceased’s estate.

According to the December 10 MoU, Muhangi is survived by eight children who were all each 9 percent of Horizon Coaches Limitd shares.

However, lawyers representing Mr Lionel Muhangi  and Ms Sarah Mirembe Muhangi (Muhangi’s children),  have written to the widow Patience Mbabazi Muhangi, saying the sharing of the properties under Horizon Coaches should be based on the company shareholding.

“It has come to our notice that the company still exists. It has not been subjected to any liquidation procedures and there is no such proceeds allegedly distributed [under the MOU],” a December 12 letter by Matovu Suwaya and Co. Advocates to Ms Mbabazi Muhangi reads in part.

The letter which is copied to Mr Basajjabalaba reads: “Further, people who are not beneficiaries to the estate of Muhangi were unlawfully allocated shares on the same estate under the said company.”

Ms Anne Mugisha, the mother of Mr Lionel Muhangi commended Mr Bassajjabalaba for playing a good role as the chairman of the burial arrangement committee of the deceased “but no one appointed him the executor or administrator of Muhangi’s property.”

"How can anyone distribute his property without legal authority? Where does he get the power?" Ms Mugisha asked.

 The lawyers say the MoU should be disregarded.

“Consequently, the said MoU should be disregarded as it has no legal binding on the perpetrators who might be having personal interest against the interests of all other beneficiaries. The same should be disregarded and set aside accordingly,” the letter from the law firm reads.

The office of the Ankole Administrator General has also written to the Chief Administrative Officer of Bushenyi , saying the property was still vested in the office of the Administrator General “ since none of the beneficiaries has ever been granted letters of administration.”

“We have been reliably informed there are various disagreements regarding the choice of beneficiaries to jointly administer the estate and a formula of distribution of all the deceased’s properties among the beneficiaries i.e that Mbabazi Patience [widow] has connived with a section of the beneficiaries to intermeddle with the deceased’s property by proposing an unfair/ unjustified distribution schedule intended to give the widow the biggest share of the deceased’s undisclosed/ concealed properties without any justification all to the detriment of the deceased’s minority beneficiaries .i.e Lionel Emmanuel Muhangi and Sarah Mirembe Mugangi,”  Ms Betty Karungi Gafabusa wrote on behalf of Administrator General on December 12.

The other children who were each allocated 9 percent shares are Ryan Nsingwire Muhangi, Shane Beine Muhangi, Jake Rwakasimba Muhangi, Leonel Muhangi, Muhangi Oscar Raymond, Keisha Samalie Muziaire Muhangi, Zoe Kabishiki Muhangi and Mirembe Sarah Muhangi.

Muhangi’s mother Ms Angela Komuzaire Rwankole and his brother Mr Alex Katungye were also given 9% shares.

The memorandum states that all other property in the names of the late Muhangi shall be taken by the widow; Ms Patience Muhangi.

READ:

Widow, children narrate Muhangi’s final moments

The widow explained that for much of Muhangi’s last month in life, he pitched camp at Qualicel Bus Terminal in Kampala, the property over which he was in conflict with fellow businessmen Drake Lubega and others

Widow, children narrate Muhangi’s final moments

The widow explained that for much of Muhangi’s last month in life, he pitched camp at Qualicel Bus Terminal in Kampala, the property over which he was in conflict with fellow businessmen Drake Lubega and others

ALSO READ:

Muhangi laid to rest, govt salutes tycoon

Muhangi was laid to rest yesterday at his country home in Bumbaire II Village, Bumbaire Sub-county in Bushenyi District