Kategaya’s widows fight over property again

Widows of former First deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Affairs, Eriya Kategaya, are again at loggerheads after failing to share their late husband’s property.
In the latest standoff, Ms Joan Betsimbire Kategaya, the first wife, accuses Ms Diana Kirungi Kategaya of forging one of the  land titles  in an attempt to sell part of their land.
Ms Betsimbire claims that Ms Diana connived with some unscrupulous staff in the Ministry of Lands   to change  the land title for Block 59, Plot 12, Kabula in Lyantonde District . 

The disputed land, measuring 670 hectares, is located in the villages of Kanara and Kirebe in Buyanga Parish, Mpumudde Sub-county in Lyantonde District.
“I wonder how some staff in the Ministry of Lands issued a land title on  Block 59, Plot 12, Kabula knowing that there is a caveat on that block and the matter is still before courts of law, “ Ms  Betsimbire said during an interview on Wednesday.

According to documents seen by the Daily Monitor, the registrar of titles forbids any person to transfer the  land title,  and through her lawyers of Messer’s Kiiza and Kwanza  advocates, Ms Betsimbire  was made the administrator of late Kategaya’s estate including Plot 12 on Block 59  at Nsiika, Kabula, Lyantonde District.
Ms Betsimbire said Ms Kirungi subdivided and transferred part of the land into her name and also sold another parcel to a businessman.

“We asked her to bring her daughter and take her for DNA to prove that Kategaya is the father but she refused.We still doubt whether her daughter really belongs to Kategaya family,” Ms Betsimbire added.  
But Ms Kirungi denied the allegations saying  all she is doing is intended to protect the farm which is registered in her daughter’s name.

“That lady [Ms Betsimbire] has told you lies and has no authority over that piece of land belonging to my daughter,’’ she said in a telephone interview yesterday .
Ms Kirungi accuses Ms Betsimbire of trying to lock out other children of late Kategaya for her selfish interests. 
“My daughter is among the children of the late, she is entitled to benefit from her dad’s assets and I will do what it takes to protect her and her property,” Ms  Kirungi insisted.

By the time Kategaya died, the farm in Lyantonde had 2,000 head of cattle and boer goats.
Ministry of Lands speaks out
Mr Mr Denis Obbo, the spokesperson of Ministry of Land, said their records indicate that the disputed  land is registered in the name of Erinah Musimenta Kategaya, a minor under the care of Ms Kirungi.
“The records in our office indicate that Plot 12, Block 59 of  land in Lyantonde, is a free hold title under the name of Erinah Musimenta Kategaya who is minor until 2030,” he said.  

BACKGROUND
Kategaya died on March 2, 2013 and on April 9, 2014 Ms Betsimbire put a caveat on the disputed land. 
However, in the same month the land title for Plot 12, Block 59, Kabula  was transferred into  the name of Erinah Musimenta Kategaya. On April 27, 2016, the registrar of lands gave the administrative role of the same land to Ms Betsimbire. Hardly a month after Kategaya’s death, there was contention on who becomes the administrator of his estate. This prompted Ms Gwennie Kategaya, a sister of the deceased, his wife and children to take the fight to Nakawa Magistrate’s Court after failing to get letters of administration from the office of the Administrator General.However, the family later resolved not to fight over  the deceased’s estate.