Minister orders cancellation of Kabaka Mutebi's special land

The Minister of State for Lands, Dr. Sam Mayanja, has issued an order to cancel and initiate an immediate investigation into the alleged unlawful acquisition of a special certificate of title by Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, the King of Buganda.

The minister's action comes in response to a formal complaint filed by Herbert Tamale Balaba, one of the beneficiaries of the estate of the late Abraham Balaba Tamale.

According to the complaint, Tamale alleges that the Buganda King obtained a special certificate over land in Kyadondo Block 232 Plot 1, Ssabaddu, West Mengo Land at Kireka Banda, which originally belonged to his late father, in an unlawful manner.

In a letter addressed to the Commissioner of Land Registration at the Ministry of Lands, it is stated that the complainant claims that the office issued a special certificate to the Kabaka in 2022, based on his purported purchase of the land from the now-defunct Nile Bank Limited in 1993.

After reviewing the complaint, the response from the Attorney General of Buganda, and the newspaper advert used to obtain the special certificate, Dr. Mayanja identified several irregularities.

These irregularities include the existence of two titles over the same piece of land, discrepancies in the details provided in the newspaper advert, and a contradiction between the affidavit in support of a caveat and the statements made during the acquisition of the special certificate of title.

Furthermore, it is revealed that prior to obtaining the special certificate of title in 2022, the Kabaka of Buganda had lodged a caveat on the land, asserting his occupation and denying any claims of ownership by others.

However, his affidavit and statutory declaration from 2016 indicate that he had not lawfully acquired the land through a bank sale.

In light of these findings, Mayanja expressed his opinion that the Kabaka of Buganda and his agents unlawfully and illegally obtained the special certificate of title for the land in question. He recommended the cancellation of the certificate and its return to the rightful owner in his letter dated November 22, 2023.

He forwarded the complaint to the Commissioner of Land Registration for further action in accordance with the provisions of Sections 91(1) & (2) of the Land Act 1998 as Amended.

This development raises significant concerns about the legality of the Buganda King's acquisition of the special certificate of title and underscores the need for a thorough investigation into the matter.

The Commissioner of Land Registration is expected to conduct a comprehensive inquiry to ascertain the truthfulness of the allegations and determine whether the special certificate should be revoked.