Women break barriers in property ownership

Women in Mbarara City exemplify this transformation, as they now independently own various properties, including land, businesses, rental units, and residential apartments. Ten years ago, Ms Tukamuhebwa separated from her husband.
“The issue that caused me to separate from my husband was about family income. I was hardworking and did menial jobs for the family to develop but my husband was unbothered. All the money I would earn, he would forcefully take it and use it to buy alcohol and live with other women,” she explains.

She adds: “One time I saved Shs10 million from the small business I was doing and we planned to buy a motorcycle and build a three-roomed commercial house but he took all the money and never explained what he used it for. Efforts to demand an explanation were met with physical abuse and later abandoning us. That is when, with the help of a friend, my children and I decided to come to Mbarara.”

Ms Tukamuhebwa says she secured a job at a household where she could stay with her children.
This opportunity allowed her to save enough money to start a business at Koranorya Market.
She also decided to save money to purchase land for farming and to build a home for her family.

She began saving with Amity Real Estate Company, starting with as little as Shs5,000. Over time, she accumulated Shs4.8 million, which she used to purchase land in Biharwe, Mbarara City North Division, where she plans to build a home and engage in farming.

“I implore women to be hardworking and start owning property, this generation, you never know what lies ahead.
Through my hard work, I have managed to own land and take care of my children. I would have abandoned my children and joined prostitution if I had a mentality that women have to be dependants,” Ms Tukamushaba says.

Ms Angella Busingye, 56, owns residential houses in Andrews, Kakiika. She says in the traditional Ankole culture, women were not entitled to property ownership and inheritance.
“Owning property, especially land, was limited to men, and at times you had to get permission to access and use family property like land. Women who divorced would lose family property but at times in case the husband died the relatives would take charge of property,” she says.

She, however, notes that increased sensitisation has led to greater flexibility in some cultural beliefs and traditions.
“It was hard to convince my late husband that I could also own property independently. But he later accepted. When he died three years ago, relatives, who were trying to take over some of the family properties, were shocked to learn that some of it were only in my name. I remember one of the relatives saying how stupid my husband was to allow me to have properties in my name,” she says.

Ms Busingye, however, says most men are still insecure about letting women own property.
Ms Faith Victoria Ekaju, 40, a resident of Saveya Cell in Kakiika, Mbarara City, and a street preacher, owns two plots of land in Mbarara City where she plans to construct rentals on one and utilise the other for urban farming.

“I have stayed in Mbarara for 14 years as a street preacher. I chose to start saving for land because I know as I grow old, I would need to settle. I started saving for land in 2001 and bought my first plot at Shs5 million. I got a trusted real estate company where I could save with them as low as Shs10,000 depending on the day,” she explains.

She adds: “I realised I better get a place to stay because rent keeps increasing and I may not manage. But as the population increases, people will need to be fed and that is why I am utilising one of the plots for urban farming.”
Ms Aisha Nyonyozi owns rental houses in Koranorya in Mbarara City. She explains that women depending on their husbands for survival is old-fashioned and has for long stifled development.
“Although some men and communities still feel insecure when women become financially independent, this should stop. Instead of becoming dependents, women should be supported to own property and contribute to the development of their families,” she notes.

She says although her husband is comfortable with her owning property independently, some of his friends and family members do not like it.
“It is good my husband did not have issues when I told him I wanted to buy land and build some rentals. But I do not know how some of his friends and family members found out about it. He one time told me to ignore those talking ill about my developments, saying they just want to frustrate me,” she explains.

Ms Nyonyozi, who also has a business in Koranonrya market, says she used her savings from a women's group at the market to purchase land and build rental units, which now earn her Shs320,000 per month.
She adds that her husband is happy because even when the property is in her name, the proceeds have been used for other family developments.
“We plan together as a family on how to use our finances and we have family projects and development we have put up as a family. We are not in competition as most people may assume that when a woman is economically independent then there is no respect for her husband and family,’’ she adds.

Ms Asia Asingwire works with the Mbarara High Court and says she owns four plots of land in Mbarara City.

"I earn little money but I have been saving with one of the real estate companies that has enabled me to own these plots. I would save with them whatever money I would get. I encourage women to have their property. My husband is comfortable with this,” she says.

Ms Mary Jennifer Nalwanga, a media personality working with a local radio station in Mbarara, says for the last five years she has managed to buy three plots.
“From saving as little as Shs20,000, I have been able to buy three plots. I have not developed them but I want to keep buying and in the future construct rentals and put up my own house to live in. I bought the first plot at Shs5.5 million, the second at Shs5 million, and the third at Shs6 million,” she explains.

Mr Alex Ariho, the executive director of Excel Hort Consult agribusiness hub, explains that property rights for women and financial independence is important because it enables them to participate fully in economic activities, which is a precursor towards the social economic transformation of families, communities, and the country at large.

"Culture is also to blame, for example when your husband dies the family property is at the mercy of other people. At times, these get sold and you and your children suffer. There are some men still inclined to traditional and cultural beliefs, I have friends who are very learned and educated but still take women as property,” he says.

Mr Herbert Tushabe, the managing director of Amity Realtors, says women given an opportunity are better placed to foster economic growth.
“Women are resilient, trustworthy, and have a good saving culture. We have women who save with us as low as Shs5,000 and are determined to get land. We have worked with most of them and they have acquired land, which is not the case with men. The superiority complex is a big challenge with us men and saving and acquiring property remains a challenge because of this,” Mr Tushabe says.

However, he notes that a major challenge arises when women save to buy land, only for men to insist that the property be registered in their names.
“Sometimes, when signing a sale agreement, a man appears for the first time and demands that the agreement be in his name because he is the family head. I think the society still needs sensitisation that women can also own property, otherwise a good intention might breed family conflict,” he notes.

Mr George Mutabazi, a family counsellor, says women owning property is very important but this has to be handled carefully because there are still some cultural biases that prevent women from owning property.

"You should explain the process to your husband otherwise it may turn out to be hypocritical and betrayal. Some men are still inclined to traditional and cultural beliefs and if such situations are not handled well, it may turn into domestic violence and family breakdown. I always have several cases
involving couples over property ownership,” he says.

Despite the progress women are making in property ownership, more sensitisation is needed to address gender disparities in resource ownership.
The Police Annual Crime Report 2023 highlights that domestic violence is largely driven by disputes over family property.
Of the 15,184 reported domestic violence victims, 10,792 were adult women. The Rwizi region, which includes Mbarara, ranked third in the country for domestic violence cases, with 982 cases, followed by North Kyoga (1,538 cases) and Rwenzori (1,101 cases)