The Lost Ubuntu: Shock as Godfrey Kirumira Claims to buy Land from a Dead Man a Year after his Demise

In what sounds like skit from a Nollywood movie, a city tycoon claims to have purchased land from a man who had purportedly died a year before. Whereas the wealthy man claims to have purchased this piece of land in 2017, the vendor himself is understood to have died in 2016, The Investigator reports.

Even then, if this tycoon is to be believed at all, the vendor supposedly, miraculously raised from his eternal sleep to be able to sign the transfer forms for him, a year after his demise! Sounds funny?

Don’t laugh yet! This tycoon’s story seem to be such a funny and childish one. For, the person he claims to have purchased land from, has since turned out to have been a ‘mere’ Shamba boy of the genuine owner. The tycoon we are talking about here needs no introduction. His name is Godfrey Kirumira.

Kirumira is the chairman of Kwagalana Group, an association which brings together wealthy business persons in Kampala and also a former chairman of Express FC. We assume the name rings the bell now.

Kirumira is accordingly suing another man who is claiming the same piece of land to be his. Kirumira wants Justice David Batema, sitting at the High Court’s land division, to declare the other claimant a trespasser to the land each of them calls his.

Prof Minaz Karmali is the man who is at loggerheads with Kirumira. Karmali asserts how he purchased the land from the real owner only for Kirumira to forge and backdate a Title for the same piece of land.

Minaz is accordingly suing Kirumira too, for forging a Title to the land. Kirumira is on top of things currently. The judge allowed him to stay on the land in the meantime as court investigates the matter.

Land office on spot

This legal battle, much as it is scandalous, is a blessing in disguise. It helps to expose once more, the appalling rot in the lands office. How on earth can the land office issue two Titles on the same piece of land? How can it happen when the same land office is in custody of the white page Title that spells out who owns what piece of land across the country?

The Story

The UGX15Bn valued chunck of land is located at a village known as Katikolo, within the Namanve industrial area. It measures 85 acres. Kirumira is alleging to have bought the land from one Yokana Galikwoleka Mukasa in October, 2017. Yet Karmali says he bought the same chunk of land in November, 2010. The vendor in this particular transaction was Charles Kagenya.

Karmali’s land is particularized as Block 113 Plot 393. That of Kirumira is registered as Plot 392 and 393. This would presuppose, Karmali’s is one plot of land whilst that of Kirumira are two plots!

Karmali asserts by the time Kirumira alleges to have purchased the land, the same had been placed in the hands of a company known as Capital Ventures International to value as well as survey it. Additionally, Karmali alleges, Galikwoleka, the one Kirumira quotes as the vendor, didn’t have land to sell since he was a Shamba boy of Kagenya who actually the true owner.

The case resumes on April 17^th 2022…

Author Profile

Stephen Kasozi Muwambi: Mr. Stephen Kasozi Muwambi is a seasoned crime investigative writer, majoring in judicial-based stories. His two decades’ experience as a senior investigative journalist has made him one of the best to reckon on in Uganda. He can also be reached via [email protected]