KAMPALA
The Kabaka of Buganda, His Majesty Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II has instructed his legal team to take legal action against the Minister of State for Lands, Hon. Dr. Sam Mayanja, over his alleged disregard of court rulings regarding the disputed Kaazi land, officially owned by the Kingdom.
Speaking at a press conference held this morning at Bulange, Mengo, the Attorney General of Buganda, Mr Christopher Bwanika, dismissed the minister’s involvement in the land issues and his recent orders to the Registrar General of URSB asking to deregister Buganda Land Board, the institution in charge of Kabaka’s land.
Mr Bwanika described the minister’s actions as “contempt of court and disregard of the law,” and warned that the Kabaka’s legal team has already been instructed to file a lawsuit against his declarations and actions.
“The Kingdom of Buganda has instructed its external lawyers to take legal action to challenge Hon. Dr. Sam Mayanja’s declarations, utterances, and actions, culminating in the meeting of March 4, 2025, at Kaazi,” Mr Bwanika told journalists at Mengo.
The AG further disclosed that the disputed land, situated in Block 273, Plot 5, has a long and complex history. Initially part of the 350 square acres allotted to the Kabaka of Buganda under the 1900 Agreement, its title was first created in 1923. The land was registered under the official capacity of the then-Kabaka, H.H. Chwa II, and later passed down to successive Kabakas.
Mr Bwanika clarified that whereas His Royal Highness Chwa II received the land from the British colonialists under the 1900 agreement, he didn’t own the land as an individual but as the King of Buganda at that time.
“It is important to note that Ssekabaka Daudi Chwa II did not own the Kaazi land in his personal capacity! He held it in his official capacity as Kabaka. This land was passed on to Ssekabaka Edward Muteesa (in his official capacity), and is now held by Kabaka Mutebi II (in his official capacity),” he explained.
How Kaazi became Scouts Land
In 1948, the then-Kabaka of Buganda, Edward Muteesa II, leased the land to the Uganda Scouts Association for 49 years, strictly for scouting and camping purposes. However, following the abolition of Kingdoms in 1967, the central government confiscated the land and vested it under the Uganda Land Commission.
The land was officially returned to the Kabaka in 1993 through the Traditional Rulers (Restitution of Assets and Properties) Act, and Buganda Land Board now manages it on behalf of the Kingdom.
Mr Bwanika reaffirmed that both the Uganda Land Commission and the Scouts Association acted unlawfully by creating unauthorized subleases without the consent of the Kabaka. “The Kabaka successfully petitioned the Commissioner of Land Registration, who subsequently canceled the illegal lease titles,” he said.
The Kabaka further solidified his claim to the land by winning a legal battle against Prince Kalemeera and others in a landmark ruling of 2020, after the complainants were told they had falsely claimed ownership of the land whereas not.
“As confirmed by Court, it is therefore an undisputed fact that the land rightfully belongs to the Kabaka,” Mr Bwanika emphasized. “We urge the public to disregard any misleading claims suggesting that the land does not belong to the Kabaka.”
Speaking at the same press conference, Buganda Land Board spokesperson, Mr Denis Bugaya, questioned whether Minister Sam Mayanja even studied law, given his actions and utterances when he well knows that the court ruling settled the matter concerning the land.
A furious Bugaya informed journalists that all necessary preparations to take Minister Sam Mayanja to court have been completed, and they believe they have sufficient evidence to successfully prosecute him.
“For the first time in the modern history of Buganda Kingdom, we are taking Mr Sam Mayanja to court in his individual capacity. We believe we have an actionable case against Mr Sam Mayanja for abuse of office, for making illegal directives to his junior officers,” he said.
Bugaya emphasized that the Buganda Kingdom will not stand by while individuals like Sam Mayanja mislead the Kabaka’s subjects, and they will take legal action as required by the law.
