80-year-old widow petitions President over Makerere land

KAMPALA - A dispute between an 80-year-old widow, Edith Nantumbwe, and businesswoman Miriam Kutesa over prime land in Makerere-Kavule, Kampala, has sucked in internal affairs minister Maj. Gen. (rtd) Kahinda Otafiire. 

This was after Nantumbwe petitioned President Yoweri Museveni, seeking his intervention in the dispute that she claims was settled by court nine years ago.

Court documents indicate that the five-acre piece of land, located on Block 28, Plot 540 in Makerere, is part of the estate of the late Musa Muganzi Kalanzi. 

Nantumbwe and her relatives, Erina Nankya, Joshua Mukalanzi and Daudi Kiwuta Kizito had been battling with Kutesa since 2009, until court settled the matter through a consent judgement in August 2016. 

Nantumbwe and her relatives are the administrators of the estate of the late Kalanzi. 

A consent judgment dated August 29, 2016, outlines an agreement between the parties, where Nantumbwe and her relatives would retain the land and developments thereon after paying Kutesa sh750m. 

“The judgement creditor shall, in satisfaction of the decree, be paid a sum of sh750m in lieu of the land that was decreed to be forming part of the estate and the said sums are to settle all claims on the subject and all the beneficiaries and claimants to the estate of the late Musa Muganzi Kalanzi,” the consent judgement states. 

According to the consent judgment, Kutesa is referred to as the judgment creditor while Nantumbwe and her relatives are referred as judgment debtors. 

The payment was expected to settle all claims on the land and cover expenses, including suit costs. However, Nantumbwe alleges that Otafiire has since orchestrated a campaign to take her land by advising Kutesa to go back to court.

“My name is Edith Nantumbwe, an 80-year-old widow who has peacefully owned and occupied my land since 1973. I write with deep sorrow and desperation, seeking your personal intervention in a 15-year-long legal struggle to protect me from an orchestrated campaign to unlawfully take my land, led by Gen. Otafiire,” she cried out in her letter dated April 11, 2025. 

Nantumbwe added: “I plead with you [President Museveni] to ensure that I am not robbed of my land by powerful individuals abusing their offices.” 

Documents from the land’s ministry seen by New Vision indicate that on January 7, 2014, the then commissioner for land registration, Sarah Kulata, acted on a court order and formally removed Kutesa’s name from the title in the registry, replacing it with that of Nantumbwe.

When contacted, Otafiire said he did not know Nantumbwe, but knew Kutesa who inherited the land from her late father.

Background 

According to court documents, the dispute originated in 2009 following an exparte court ruling issued by Justice Joseph Murangira, which led to the issuance of a special title to Kutesa.

This kicked off a legal battle between Nantumbwe and her relatives on one side against Kutesa. However, in 2016, a consent judgment was entered, which settled the matter. 

It was agreed that Nantumbwe and her relatives would retain the land and developments after paying Kutesa sh750m. Despite concluding the case, Nantumbwe said the commissioner for land registration, Baker Mugaino, now wants to cancel her title. 

In a January 5, 2024, letter, Mugaino cited historical court decisions as grounds for the cancellation of the land title. However, Nantumbwe’s legal team argues these references are outdated, pointing out that the 2009 court order had expired. 

Nantumbwe said Mugaino reportedly acknowledged in a public hearing that he lacked jurisdiction to cancel the title. 

However, Nantumbwe said she was shocked when Mugaino went ahead to initiate the title cancellation proceedings without notifying her, despite his predecessor (Kulata) having re-affirmed that the 2016 consent judgment conclusively settled the matter. 

Otafiire speaks out 

When contacted, Otafiire said he did not know Nantumbwe, but knew Kutesa who inherited the land from her late father. 

“My job is to protect that lady who is the genuine owner of the land. The matter was decided by Justice [Joseph] Murangira, and there were appeals up to the Supreme Court, which decided that restoration of the land title be done,” he said. 

Commenting on Nantumbwe’s letter petitioning the President, Otafiire said: “She can write to God.” Otafiire said he was keeping law and order as the internal affairs minister.