Widow sheds tears before land probe after co-wife takes over her property

The widow of the late Prof William Kabampene Isharaza, Grace Birabwa Isharaza yesterday wept before the Justice Catherine Bamugemereire-led land probe claiming that she has been unfairly evicted from a piece of land by her co-wife  Edith Kekimuri Isharaza.

Grace Isharaza had appeared before the commission to file a complaint against Kekimuri who she said forcefully evicted her from her home using security personnel.

The property is located on block 31 plot 4 and covers 35.7 hectares at Kemiyoga Kamushosho Kasali East Ankole in Mbarara district.

A tearful Grace said: “Kekimuri evicted her from her foundation home and brought police to take control over the land.”

She wants the commission to help her recover her home and find ways of apprehending  Kekimuri

She said she had toiled for 40 years trying to get back her land.

Grace explained to the commission that she is the first wife of the late Prof. William Isharaza after they got married in 1975 at St. Francis Church, Makerere, in Kampala.

Later, she said, they got money and purchased land in Kemiyoga Kasali East Ankole in Mbarara district from the late John Ibara and the payment was made in bits for five year between 1977 and 1982.

"After paying the last payment which was paid by me because my husband had gone back for further studies, the land was re-registered into my husband’s name," she said.

One day while coming from work, she said as she broke down in tears, she found her husband in bed with another woman. This woman happened to be Kekimuri.

"I was tormented. I wept but had to continue with my life because I had children to look after," she said.

She said she learnt later to her shock that her husband had mortgaged the property in the bank in exchange for a loan.

When he failed to pay back the loan, Grace said, the bank put the land on sale.

She said: "Lucky enough, I put in a bid and was declared the best bidder.  I paid Shs 2.29billion to rescue the land from the bank but this did not please my husband who started mistreating me."

Grace said her husband later shrewdly changed the land title back into his names. She claimed he connived with some people in the lands office to execute this scheme.

In 2016, her husband passed on. She left the land in the hands of some caretakers as she pursued business interests in Kampala.

But to her shock, Kekimuri with the help of the police forcefully came and evicted the caretakers from the land, months later.

“My prayer is that this is what I have worked for, for more than 40years. My home should be returned back to me," she pleaded.

A visibly shocked Bamugemereire said they will investigate the matter further.