'Maria Kiwanuka's father owned contested Munyonyo land'
Oct 02, 2019
Acting commissioner lands registration Robert Opio, made the confirmation at the land probe commission public hearing in Kampala on Monday.
Land registration archives show that Alistairiko Sekaggya Nsibirwa Kiwana, father to former Finance Minister Maria Kiwanuka owned a nine-acre property in the city suburb of Munyonyo.
The land is a subject of dispute between Kiwana and Dr. Solomon Byatike Matovu families.
Acting commissioner lands registration Robert Opio, made the confirmation at the land probe commission public hearing in Kampala on Monday.
Byatike Matovu died June 2, 1964, while Kiwana died in 1973
Byatike-Matovu's daughter Dr. Irene Lubega, petitioned the probe commission, purporting the Kiana estate were encroachers.
But asked by assistant lead counsel Andrew Odit whether the Byatike-Matovu estate has a claim, Opio responded that the assertion was misplaced.
"From the records we have, the Byatike-Matovu family does not have a claim. This is a matter of fact, and documents speak about this. Documents are clear. The Kiwana claim is properly documented. It is their land," said Opio.
Civil servant Kiwana was the son of iconic Buganda educationist, philanthropist and two-time Katikkiro Martin Luther Nsibirwa(assassinated 1945).
Documents explain
Documents show the land was originally registered in the name Daudi Chwa on June 28, 1923.
The land was originally known as Mailo Registration Volume MRV 857 Folio 11, was registered in the name Prince Alfred Kigala, as of May 14, 1942.
On May 12, 1966, it changed ownership from Kigala to Ambrose Wafubwa. Later on, May 1, 1968, Kiwana(former chief executive officer National Housing Corporation), purchased at sh5,000. The transfer effect date was May 9, 1968.
However, the documents show there was an encumbrance, that was removed by 1966 when Kigala sold to Wafubwa.
It shows a caveat dated January 17, 1961, in favour of Byatike, saying he had bought the land and that no transaction be made without his authorisation.
Attached was a sale agreement dated July 30, 1959, between Kigala and Byatike-Matovu, showing the sale of the nine acres at sh500.
Opio explained that the caveat was removed by a court order dated April 6, 1966, from the High Court in Kampala in a pronouncement by Justice Dermot Joseph Sheridan. It was on the prompting of a Kigala application.
Kiwana evidence trail shows that on February 1969, the patriarch leased the land to Victoria Marines, which was transferred to Gomba Marines in April 1972.
Gomba mortgaged the property with the then Grindlays Bank(now Stanbic Bank). However, on June 24, 1992, the High Court ordered re-entry on the prompting of the matriarch.
Current status
The land is currently listed under family holding company Alimar Limited, with interests in real estate.
The company shareholders are listed as Margaret Kiwana(mother), and daughters Maria Nabasirye Kiwanuka Kiwana, Janet Nkabidwa Collyer Kiwana, Babirye Nakasi Kiwana, and Esther Nabwami Kiwana, and Nakato Kiwana. ENDS