Businesswoman pinned on land grabbing

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Administrator of Zabuloni Estate Ronald Kalemba has pinned a businesswoman Miria Ssebunya for grabbing close to three Square Miles of their family land.

Miria Ssebunya is wife to former Uganda ambassador to Libya Moses Kiwe Ssebunya.

Kalemba, 53 told the Commission of Inquiry into Land Matters on Monday that in 2014, Ssebunya and another resident Abdu Swamad Mutibwa interrupted a land survey and boundary opening exercise that Kalemba had initiated.

Mutibwa stopped the process, arrested Kalemba and took him to police.

The land under contention is located in Kitagonerwa Village Geyongera Parish Kassanda Sub-county Kassanda District.

The land belonged to Zabuloni Bakyayita who died in 1915. He was succeeded by Yusuf Kalemba who also died in 1946 and was succeeded by Bethel Wabbi.

Kalemba says that he was given powers of attorney by his father Wabbi who died in 2009.

However, he says that Ssebunya and his employees have blocked them from accessing the land.

He further accuses her of evicting over 70 households who are Bibanja holders.

Kalemba further accuses Ssebunya of using the police to issue charges of trespass against him.

He says that after Ssebunya interrupted the survey process, she ordered for his arrest. She sued him for trespass at Mubende High Court but she never appeared in court.

Ssebunnya claims to have bought the land from Ibrahim Ssendi Kikomeko.

The Commission is in possession of transfer forms that indicated that Yusuf Kalemba transferred land amounting to 80 acres of land to Kikomeko.

However, the Commission is still investigating how Ssebunya is said to own more than 80 acres.

The forms, however, do not indicate Yusuf Kalemba’s signature which Ronald Kalemba doubts its authenticity.

Kalemba also says that his grandfather Yusuf Kalemba usually wrote down his agreements which seem not to be the case in this particular land transaction.

According to testimonies, hundreds of Bibanja holders were evicted and more are still living in fear of being evicted.

On 25th January 2019, residents explained their plight to the Bamugemereire Commission during the Commission’s visit to the area.

They accused Ssebunya of using police from Mubende and Security guards from Saracen Security Limited to evict, rape and commit other forms of atrocities against the residents.

Miria Ssebunya has been summoned and is expected to appear before the Commission.

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