Prof. Kateregga says his property worth sh2b missing

KAMPALA - Uganda’s academician and founding vice-chancellor Kampala University (KU), Prof. Badru Kateregga, says property worth shillings two billion is missing from his multibillion mansion at Buziga in Kampala. 

“The stolen properties include a Range Rover Vogue, V8 Land Cruiser, a Jeep, as well as land tittles, academic documents, official University documents, large sums of money in US Dollars, and Ugandan shillings, plus expensive household properties, amongst other items,” Kateregga told reporters on Friday during a press conference at KU, Ggaba in Kampala.

Kateregga, also the Chairperson BDK Universities Network International, alleged that the said properties were stolen by his embattled wife, Jolly Shubaiha Irankunda, from their Buziga matrimonial home.

“Unfortunately, no action has been taken to date by the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID). My complaints continue to fall on deaf ears,” he said, revealing that he has since sought audience with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Abbas Byakagaba, over the matter.

Prior, Kateregga said several of his plots of prime land are being put on sale by his estranged wife, with the help of a city businessman (name withheld). 

“I have been made to understand that my house at Buziga and various plots of prime land are being put on sale without my consent by my estranged wife together with some characters, despite existing caveats placed on them and notices published in the newspapers,” Kateregga said. 

He blames some elements in the Police for deliberately frustrating his efforts to get justice.

Kateregga, also the Chairperson BDK Universities Network International, alleged that his properties worthy sh2b were stolen by his embattled wife, Jolly Shubaiha Irankunda (Pictured), from their Buziga matrimonial home. However, she (Irankunda) argues that the allegations are baseless, saying some of the properties in question are co-owned. 

“On May 26, I wrote to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Abbas Byakagaba through my lawyers of Muwema and Company Advocates, requesting for protection and assistance in accessing my residence, which is currently guarded by Scorpion Investigations and Security Limited, a private security firm that was deployed without my knowledge and consent,” he said. 

Kateregga revealed that on June 10, the IGP responded positively to his request, directing CID to provide him with protection to access his home and also investigate the matter, but this has been ignored. 

He questioned how his complaint of aggravated domestic violence and attempted murder against his estranged wife was closed without his knowledge. 

“I was beaten by my wife to near death in September last year, and I suffered a serious head injury. My children, who live abroad, rushed back home and rescued me. I underwent an emergency lifesaving brain surgery, and I have since been living in a rehabilitation home under 24-hour medical care, and I cannot move without a doctor. I took all this evidence to the Police. I am wondering under what basis this file was closed,” Kateregga said. 

He said all his complaints to the Police, including one concerning alleged theft of his vehicles, land titles and household items, have been met with annoying silence. The 76-year-old Kateregga, who has 16 children, has vowed to do whatever it takes to safeguard his property. 

In regard to his estranged wife’s claim of a stake in the house and Kampala University, he said he bought the house at Buziga in 1993 when the wife was four years old. 

“The Buziga house is beyond a house. It is a palace which I cannot let anybody take. I have hosted Kabaka and Kyabazinga in that house,” Kateregga said.

In regard to the university, he said: “She was a student at this university in 2012; how did she acquire any interest in it? She was merely an employee of the university.” 

Kateregga said he has aided Irankunda to acquire properties in Uganda and Rwanda, and he does not expect her to lay claim to any of his properties. On why he requested for a DNA test on their children, Kateregga said he wanted to expose her. 

“I knew that the last born was not mine, but I had kept quiet as an old man,” he said. Kateregga claimed that he spent $300,000 (sh1b) on the birth of the baby in the US. 

CID boss Tom Magambo

CDF Muhoozi lauded

Kateregga lauded the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, also the Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations for what he termed continued support standing with him during his trying time.

“I also thank the CDF Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba for his tweet (X) that he made on April 16, 2025, sympathising with me, wondering why this woman could do this and directed police to take action,” he said.

Media involvement 

Given that it is his wife who took him to court, he ruled out any possibility of having the matter resolved amicably. “She is the one who took me to court, let the due process of the law take its course,” Kateregga said. 

On why he chose to involve the media in his domestic dispute, Kateregga said he does not want to be part of the businessmen who have died mysterious deaths. 

He, however, said the dispute has afforded him a chance to orient his children on how to manage his empire. 

Kateregga’s lawyer, Fred Muwema, warned Scorpion Investigations and Security Limited over their presence at the Buziga home, saying they are violating the law, which he said bars private security firms from guarding a disputed property. 

Muwema said they have since filed their response and a counterclaim of sh10b against Irankunda. 

Police speak out 

When contacted, Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke explained that the matter was brought to their attention on November 7, last year. 

“The matter was fully investigated under CID HQRS/GEF 306/204 and the case file was submitted to the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for review and legal guidance,” he said. 

Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke

Upon perusal, Kituuma said on February 18, this year, the ODPP guided that the family differences are rooted in property ownership, which can best be handled by a civil court. 
He said the power to evict his (Kateregga’s) estranged wife from the premises can only be effected through a court order. 

CID boss Tom Magambo was shocked about the allegations, noting that he was consulting his personal lawyers to take legal action.

Wife responds 

Responding to Kateregga, Irankunda, without revealing what caused the injuries on his (Kateregga’s) head, said there was never any incident of violence between them. 

“These serious allegations were thoroughly investigated by the Police and ODPP, and no evidence was found to support them. The case was officially closed,” she said. 

On claiming stakes in the university, Irankunda argued that she has simultaneously contributed to it by dedicating her time, energy and skills to its growth. On locking him out of the home, Irankunda said Kateregga voluntarily left their home in September last year. 

On hiring Scorpion Investigations and Security Limited, Irankunda said she had started receiving threatening phone calls and death threats. 

On allegations of stealing Kateregga’s property, Irankunda argues that they are baseless, saying some of the properties in question are co-owned.