Landlord threatens to evict Kayunga town council offices
Kayunga Town Council acting mayor David Kavuma at their offices that face eviction on November 27, 2024. PHOTO/FRED MUZAALE
What you need to know:
- The late Kalya family have asked district authorities to pay them Shs300 million, a sum the claim is spent to process the pertinent certificate of the land title.
Panic has gripped Kayunga Town Council leaders in Kayunga District after a family, claiming to be the rightful owner of a prime piece of land on which the town council offices are located, gave them a 14-day ultimatum to inform them (landlord) whether they still have interest in the land.
Late Paul Mukasa Kalya’s family through their lawyer, Ssebbowa and Company advocate, in an October10 letter addressed to the Kayunga Town Clerk, Ms Faridah Kulabako, asked the authorities to pay them Shs300 million, a sum spent to process the pertinent certificate of title for the said land.
The land question comprises Block 123 Plots 3243, 3248, 3260 and 3254 at Kayunga -Bugerere.
“As you are no doubt aware that Kayunga Town Council offices, former Kayunga Sub- County offices, Kayunga Youth Centre and the Police Fire Station are situated on our client’s land,” the letter reads in part.
It added: “In the circumstances, if you pay our client a sum of Shs300m being sum spent by the estate to process the pertinent of title and handover vacant possession of the rest of land belonging to the above mentioned estate, within 30 days, from acceptance of this offer, in the time and manner stipulated, they shall handover certificate of title for the above subject plots along with duly executed transfer forms to enable you legalise its occupation of the said land.”
In the same letter, the lawyer said in the event that the Kayunga Town leaders agree to the offer, they should “respond expressly stating so within 14 days of receipt of the said offer”.
The ownership wrangle for the prime piece of land (on which Kayunga town council offices are located) between the late Kalya’s family and Buganda Kingdom has persisted for five years now, with each claiming to be the rightful owner.
It had for a long time been believed by locals that the land in question belonged to Buganda Kingdom for which it has old structures, but in 2020, late Kalya’s family surfaced and claimed it was the rightful owner and presented a title for it.
Mr David Kavuma, the Kayunga Town Council acting mayor, said they were shocked that the land on which the council offices are situated don’t belong to the Kabaka.
“We are in consultation with the Kabaka’s chief for Bugerere County to get his side before we decide our next course of action,” Mr Kavuma said, adding” Even the Shs300m being asked from us is too much. We are contemplating on what to do,” he said.
Consultations
But Ms Faridah Kulabako, the Kayunga Town Clerk, claimed they are carrying out technical consultations with the Attorney General and solicitor General for advice.
Ms Kulabako, however, added that she was confident that the impasse would be amicably resolved.
On his part, Mr Andrew Muwonge, the Kayunga District chairperson, asked Kayunga Town council authorities to take “immediate action” to save the property of council from being taken.
Mr Kavuma said the late Kalya’s family had given copies of the land title for the land to the district, police, Buganda Kingdom officials and other relevant authorities.
Recently, Mr Joseph Kawuki, the Buganda Kingdom local government minister, warned people in the area against grabbing Kabaka’s land.
Background
It had for a long time been believed by locals that the land in question belonged to Buganda Kingdom for which it has old structures, but in 2020, late Kalya’s family surfaced and claimed it was the rightful owner and presented a title for it.
