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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, following his alleged disregard of court rulings regarding the disputed Kaazi land.
This land, which has been a point of contention for years, is officially owned by the Kingdom of Buganda and has a complex history, dating back to colonial times.
In a press conference held at Bulange, Mengo, the Attorney General of Buganda, Mr. Christopher Bwanika, sharply criticised Minister Mayanja’s involvement in the ongoing land issues, particularly his recent orders to the Registrar General of the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) to deregister the Buganda Land Board.
This body manages the land on behalf of the Kabaka. Mr. Bwanika described the Minister’s actions as "contempt of court" and "disregard of the law," and confirmed that the Kabaka’s legal team had been instructed to file a lawsuit in response to his actions and declarations.
“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.
He further revealed that the Kabaka’s legal team had already prepared for a formal challenge in the courts.
The Kaazi land, located in Block 273, Plot 5, has a long and complex legal history, initially part of the 350-acre land allocated to the Kabaka of Buganda under the 1900 Agreement with the British colonialists.
The land was registered in 1923, with the then-Kabaka, H.H. Chwa II, holding it in his official capacity as King of Buganda.
Mr Bwanika clarified that while Chwa II was granted the land by the colonial government, he did not own it personally but rather as the ruler of Buganda, a point that has remained crucial in the ongoing legal battles over ownership.
The land, which was later passed down to successive Kabakas, including Ssekabaka Edward Muteesa II, was leased to the Uganda Scouts Association in 1948 for 49 years, strictly for scouting and camping purposes.
However, after the abolition of kingdoms in 1967, the land was seized by the central government and placed under the Uganda Land Commission. The land was returned to the Kabaka in 1993 through the Traditional Rulers (Restitution of Assets and Properties) Act, with the Buganda Land Board taking responsibility for its management.
Mr. Bwanika further pointed out that both the Uganda Land Commission and the Scouts Association acted unlawfully by creating subleases without the consent of the Kabaka. This led to the cancellation of illegal lease titles, reaffirming the Kabaka’s rightful ownership of the land.
The legal dispute was further solidified in 2020 when the Kabaka won a landmark case against Prince Kalemeera and other individuals who falsely claimed ownership of the land.
The court ruling confirmed that the Kaazi land rightfully belonged to the Kabaka of Buganda, a fact Mr. Bwanika urged the public to recognise.
In response to Minister Mayanja’s interference, Buganda Land Board spokesperson, Mr. Denis Bugaya, expressed frustration, questioning the Minister’s qualifications and knowledge of the law.
“We are taking Mr. Sam Mayanja to court in his individual capacity for abuse of office,” Bugaya declared. He reiterated that the Buganda Kingdom would not stand idly by while public officials mislead the Kabaka’s subjects and undermine the legal rights of the Kingdom.
“We have completed all necessary preparations to take Minister Sam Mayanja to court,” Bugaya confirmed. "We believe we have sufficient evidence to successfully prosecute him."
He concluded that this legal action would serve as a powerful reminder that the Kingdom of Buganda would fiercely defend its rights and its people against any unlawful interference.