Buganda reaffirms ownership of Kaazi land, vows legal action
The Buganda Kingdom has reaffirmed its legal ownership of Kaazi land (Block 273, Plot 5) and warned against misleading claims regarding its status.
The Kingdom also announced plans to take legal action against Minister of State for Lands, Dr. Sam Mayanja, over what it calls unlawful interference.
In a statement by Buganda’s Attorney General, Christopher Bwanika, the Kingdom provided a detailed historical account of the land, which was originally part of the 350 square miles allotted to the Kabaka of Buganda under the 1900 Agreement.
The land title was first registered in 1923 under H.H. Chwa II in his official capacity as Kabaka.
In 1948, the Kabaka leased the land to the Uganda Scouts Association for a 49-year term, strictly for scouting and camping purposes.
The lease prohibited subleasing or subdivision.
However, following the 1966 attack on Lubiri and the subsequent abolition of Kingdoms, the central government confiscated the Kaazi land and placed it under the Uganda Land Commission in 1967.
According to Bwanika, this confiscation was unlawful, and the land was rightfully returned to the Kabaka of Buganda in 1993 under the Traditional Rulers (Restitution of Assets and Properties) Act.
The Buganda Land Board currently manages the land.
The statement accuses the Uganda Land Commission and the Uganda Scouts Association of engaging in illegal transactions on the land, including creating subleases without the Kabaka’s consent.
The Kabaka successfully petitioned the Commissioner of Land Registration, leading to the cancellation of these illegal lease titles.
Additionally, in 2020, the Kabaka won a court case against Prince Kalemeera and others, who falsely claimed ownership.
"As confirmed by Court, it is therefore an undisputed fact that the land rightfully belongs to the Kabaka," the statement emphasized.
The kingdom has also condemned Minister Sam Mayanja, citing his involvement in what it calls illegal engagements on Kaazi land.
The statement specifically refers to a March 4, 2025, meeting held at Kaazi, accusing Mayanja of contempt of court and disregard for the law.
“The Kingdom has instructed its external lawyers to take legal action against Dr. Mayanja’s declarations, utterances, and actions,” Bwanika stated.
The Buganda Kingdom has urged the public to disregard misleading claims about the land’s ownership, emphasizing that it remains Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II’s property in his official capacity.
“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,” the statement said.
With legal proceedings now underway, the Kaazi land dispute is expected to remain a key issue in Uganda’s ongoing land governance debates.
