Lands Ministry says Kaazi land does not belong to Buganda

The lands state minister, Sam Mayanja, has issued a report on the disputed land at Kaazi in Wakiso district, saying it belongs to the estate of the late Sir Daudi Chwa II and not Buganda Kingdom.

According to Mayanja, the land comprised in Kyadondo Block 273, Plot 5, cannot, therefore, be managed by Buganda Land Board (BLB).

Mayanja declared that the registration of the land in the names of the Kabaka of Buganda (Ronald Mutebi II) was illegal.

The minister accordingly directed the commissioner of land registration to cancel the Kabaka’s name and revert the land into the names of the administrators of the estate of Chwa II.

Mayanja, who arrived at Kaazi on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at 3:30pm, also said 100 acres of the land should be registered in the name of Uganda Scouts’ Boys’ Association, a statutory entity.

The minister released the report during a meeting at Kaazi in presence of different stakeholders, including the grandchildren of Chwa II. However, officials from Buganda Kingdom did not show up.

“If this land didn’t belong to Chwa II, it wouldn’t have been registered in his name because we already had a law in regard to registration of public land/ official mailo land,” Mayanja said.

He said the Traditional Rulers (Restitution of Assets and Properties) Act cannot be a basis for acquisition of the land in question by Buganda.

“Your land was taken (by Mengo) through the Traditional Rulers (Restitution of Assets and Properties) Act in contravention of Article 26 of the Constitution because Chwa II’s land is not subject to the same,” Mayanja told the grandchildren of Chwa II.

Mayanja called for the amendment of the Traditional Rulers (Restitution of Assets and Properties) Act, arguing that the current institution is not what was provided for before the 1995 Constitution.

He said they carried out investigations in three phases.

Citing a letter attributed to Chwa II, Mayanja said the former Buganda king donated 100 acres of land to the scouts in perpetuity.

The minister said a person with a private mailo estate is at liberty to sell or donate the land the way they wish, unlike public land or official mailo land.

Report sent to President

Mayanja said he forwarded the report to President Yoweri Museveni seven days ago because some people had warned him against making it public, saying it would affect the President in the forthcoming 2026 general elections.

“We are not talking about Buganda Kingdom, but property. I know people fear the truth, even Pilato (Pontius Pirate) ran away before Jesus told him the truth. Is Buganda kingdom here to grab other people’s property? Even those you hear talking are merely employees of the kingdom who don’t know what they are saying,” he observed.

According to Mayanja, Chwa II owned 265 square miles in his own individual capacity, adding that it was illegal for individuals to hide under Kabaka Mutebi’s name to register the land in his name. Kabaka Mutebi is also a grandchild of Chwa II.

Mayanja said there was no basis for cancellation of subleases on the land. He said individuals at Mengo falsely misrepresented the land as official mailo land by allegedly falsifying the historical record in regard to the land, yet it is a private mailo land.

When Uganda became independent in 1962, Mayanja said, the official mailo was vested in the statutory land boards. The minister also noted that land housing Kigo Prison is part of Chwa II’s estate and thus does not belong to Buganda Kingdom.

The report also indicates that there are two scouts’ associations; the Uganda Scouts Association Limited, which is an individual limited liability company and the Uganda Scouts’ Boys’ Association, a government entity.

Mayanja said it was illegal to form Uganda Scouts’ Association Limited and those behind it should be dealt with.

Quoting records, the report also indicates that Buganda Kingdom acquired the title for the land in 1924 from Uganda Land Commission (ULC) yet it (ULC) was non-existent then.

Mayanja also claimed that BLB was illegally registered as a limited liability company.

The report, however, does not indicate any kibanja interest on the land, yet during the meeting, some people claimed to be bibanja holders on the land.

Others comment

Phiona Barungi, the senior presidential assistant for special duties, said she worked alongside Mayanja to come up with the report. Barungi expressed displeasure at some government officials, whom she said are money-minded.

Dr Hillary Musoke Kisanja, a senior presidential advisor on agribusiness, commended Mayanja and Barungi for fighting for the rights of landowners in the country.

Patrick Barugahare Mujuni, the chairperson of the Uganda Scouts Association board of trustees, said they decided to sublease the land to private developers, following the President’s advice to get income-generating projects.

Speaking on behalf of Chwa II’s family, Joseph Juuko, one of the grandsons, said the land in question forms part of their late grandfather’s estate and they are the legitimate beneficiaries.

Juuko said there are also bibanja holders on the land, but they have no problem with them.

One kibanja holder, Francis Matovu, said he bought the land from Gen. David Sejusa.

Cancellation of titles

On August 14 last year, the acting commissioner of land registration, Baker Mugaino, cancelled all the titles and subleases that had been created on the land on grounds that they were issued in error, given that no consent was obtained from the lessor (Kabaka of Buganda).

This followed a petition by Buganda Kingdom through BLB, asking the commissioner to cancel the titles and subleases that had been granted by the trustees of the Uganda Scouts Association on the land. Subleases had been issued to Serena Heights, Kaazi Ventures Limited and Sky and Lakes Limited.