OBADIA TWINOMUHWEZI
Ugandans have been advised to avoid buying or selling land without notifying local council chairpersons and their committees to ensure a successful land transfer process. This call was made by Mr. Andrew Kanyasi, the LC2 Chairperson of Bugangari Parish in Bugangari Sub-county, Rukungiri District.
Mr. Kanyasi and his committee gathered at the home of the late Amidu Turyeija in Kateramo Village, Bugangari Sub-county, to mediate a land dispute between the late Amidu’s eldest son, Mr. Sulaiman Arineitwe, and his siblings. Speaking to attendees, including family members, relatives, neighbors, and friends, Mr. Kanyasi emphasized the importance of involving LC chairpersons in land transfer agreements. He urged families to respect local leaders by ensuring their signatures and official stamps are affixed to any land agreements.
Mr. Kanyasi’s comments were prompted by accusations from family members who claimed that Mr. Sulaiman had connived to deceive their late father into signing a land sale agreement without informing the LC1 Chairperson or involving other family members.
Bugangari Parish Chief, Justine Asiimwe, who presided over the LC2 court, called for unity among family members, given their history of internal conflicts. Reading the court’s judgment, Asiimwe revealed that the committee’s findings concluded that Mr. Sulaiman had acquired the disputed land improperly. Consequently, the ruling mandated that the land be shared equally among all siblings.
The court granted Mr. Sulaiman one month to harvest his crops on the land, with the option to appeal the decision in a court of law within 14 days, starting January 21, 2025.
In his defense, Mr. Sulaiman Arineitwe stated that he had completed payment for the land in question at a cost of 20 million UGX in 2017. He claimed to have initially rented the land from his father in 2008 and said the late Amidu entrusted him with the land due to their close relationship. As the family heir and firstborn, Mr. Sulaiman argued that his father trusted him more than his siblings, even giving him custody of the family will without their knowledge.
He rejected the court’s judgment, vowing to appeal and calling for government intervention to secure his rights over the land.
The court proceedings revealed inconsistencies, as one Mr. Ndamureeba Eric, who reportedly wrote the land distribution will, and Jacklin, one of the late Amidu’s daughters who signed the controversial land agreement, both disowned the documents in court.
The land in question, located in Kateramo Village, remains a source of contention. While the family accepted other portions of the will, they contested Mr. Sulaiman’s claim of independent ownership over this specific portion, which he insists he purchased from their late father, who passed away earlier this month.
As the court concluded, it remained uncertain whether peace would prevail in the family following the ruling.
