NGO boss didn’t evict his 78-year-old mother — report

KAMPALA - Michael Ambrose Opio, the programme director at Care International, did not demolish or evict his mother from the family home.

A family member had falsely told the media and authorities that Opio evicted his mother, Geto Adit, from her matrimonial home and seized property left to her by her late daughter, Florence Akulu Oloi. Findings of an inquiry by the State House, which convened a meeting to resolve the issue, cleared Opio of all the allegations.

The meeting held on June 3, 2025, at the family village home was attended by clan leaders, clergy and other members of the family.

It was established that Opio was not a beneficiary of the estate as alleged by Adit and that he had expressed it in writing as far back as April/ May 2024, even before the Letters of Administration were issued.

The family meeting also established that Adit could not make such elaborate defamatory publications against her own son without external influence from one of her daughters, Christine Aloi.

The meeting confirmed that Adit’s house was not demolished, nor was she evicted from the house by her son, Opio. Opio noted that allegations against him only surfaced after the estate had been settled.

“In March 2025, someone claiming to be a freelance journalist wrote to my employer, accusing me of depriving my mother and siblings of their fair share. In April last year, a lawyer claiming to represent my mother demanded that I vacate the Namugongo house,” he said.

Opio responded, clarifying that the Namugongo property had been allocated to his mother in June 2024, formally handed over in October and entrusted to one of her grandchildren for care.

After the New Vision story, State House detectives summoned him on May 28, 2025. He presented documentation and evidence.

The New Vision had earlier reported Adit’s claims, made alongside her daughter Christine Aloi, that sections of the family had taken over Akulu’s property. Adit, from Otangula village in Aye sub-county, Kole district, explained that her troubles began after Akulu, who had worked at Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) for 30 years, died intestate on March 6, 2024.

Akulu left behind several assets, including a registered plot with a permanent house in Namugongo-Nsawo, National Social Security Fund (NSSF) survivor benefits, URA staff benefits, shares in Stanbic Bank Uganda and personal effects, such as jewellery. Following her death, the family applied for letters of administration in April 2024.

In May, they nominated Adit and two sisters, Beatrice and Jennifer Oloi, as co-administrators. Christine later petitioned the Administrator General (AG) to be included.

The AG advised the family to meet and pre-distribute the estate before finalising nominations.

In June 2024, the family gathered at their ancestral home in Kole, with clan and church leaders present. Adit distributed the estate, and the family unanimously agreed to add Christine as an administrator while Jennifer stepped down.

The signed memorandum of understanding was submitted to the AG, who issued a letter of no objection. In September 2024, the High Court granted letters of administration to Adit, Beatrice and Christine.

Between October and December 2024, the administrators received and distributed the first batch of URA and NSSF benefits without dispute. By March 2025, the final batch of URA benefits had also been distributed.

The New Vision story was sourced from Opiyo’s sister, Christine Oloi, who walked into the Newsroom with her old mother. Initially, we believed her story, but subsequent inquiries have cleared Michael Opiyo.