Boundary opening of land claimed by Bunyoro Kingdom officials halted

Mar 29, 2023

The move comes after the old woman whom the officials claimed to have bequeathed land to Omukama denied having offered the land to anybody.

The old woman who denied to have bequeathed Omukama land. Photos by Peter Abaanabasazi

Peter Abaanabasazi
Journalist @New Vision

The Hoima city security committee has halted the surveying of land claimed by both Bunyoro Kitara kingdom officials and residents of Butebere north and Kucwaba 2 in Hoima west division.

The move comes after the old woman whom the officials claimed to have bequeathed land to Omukama denied having offered the land to anybody.

Lawrence Tumwesigye, the Chairman LC1 of Kicwaba 2.

Lawrence Tumwesigye, the Chairman LC1 of Kicwaba 2.

The land in question is measuring 5.3780 hectares block 16 plot 340 at Kicwaba. The land title was processed in 2017 under the Name of Gafabusa Solomon Iguru, the Omukama of Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom.

The fight for this land started in 2010, but went on in silence until last month when a group of surveyors stormed the area to open boundaries.

Last week, Hoima City Resident Commissioner Baduru Mugabi intervened and agreed with the residents to allow the surveyors to continue with boundary opening exercises to be able to know the number of people affected by the land title.

Hoima City RCC Mugabi inspecting the contested land last week.

Hoima City RCC Mugabi inspecting the contested land last week.

The surveyors were supposed to carry out the exercise on Tuesday, but the exercise was halted after the 84-year-old woman whom the Kingdom official claimed bequeathed Omukama land denied the claims.

Petition 

The petition dated March 15, 2023, signed by the Omukama's principal secretary, Richard Kitahimba and addressed to RCC Mugabi, indicates that Gertrude Kumwucumbiro bequeathed Omukama 80 acres, but by the time they titled the land, only 13.12 acres were free of encroachment.

However, when the security team inquired from the old woman if she had offered land to anyone, she denied it and said she has no right over her late husband Majugo’s land.

John Baguma Chairperson LC1 of Butebere North Cell speaking during the meeting last week.

John Baguma Chairperson LC1 of Butebere North Cell speaking during the meeting last week.

She added that she could not give out the land of the family where was married because her late husband had left the heir who oversees the estates.

Kumwucumbiro said she was shocked after they claimed that she had passed on whereas not.  

Her granddaughter, Rosemary Birungi, said they were surprised when they heard about the group claiming their grandmother had offered the land to Omukama.

She added that the claims are aimed at tarnishing the name of the old woman adding that Omukama was never given or bought land in the area.

Lawrence Tumwesigye, the LC1 chairperson of Kicwaba 2, said they were happy that the truth had come out and demanded the land title be cancelled and promised to drag the kingdom to court if this is not done. 

RCC speaks out

When contacted, RCC Mugabi said they had halted the boundary opening exercise after they discovered some issues which needed to be settled.

John Baguma, the LCI chairperson of Butebere north cell, said the residents were excited by the security committee's decision and that the halting of the exercise was a big relief to the residents

Baguma said the residents have stayed on this land for years and that he is going to mobilise the residents to petition Masindi zonal land offices to investigate how the land title was processed.

Subjects can't donate land

Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom Chief Prince (Okwiri) Fred Mugenyi Ruchunya Akiiki, the head of Babito ruling clan, said he was not aware about the land. He added that want he knows is that Omukama is the one who donates land and not his subjects donating to the king.

“This sounds strange, what I know is that Omukama gives out land, but not his subject to give him land," he said in the phone interview on Wednesday.

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