A contentious battle over property ownership has erupted in Mbale City between Mr Michael Mukhono, a cleric, and Mr Richard Mataya, a businessman. The dispute has escalated, leading to the demolition of a building on Plot 9 Pallisa Road and a heated legal conflict.
The conflict reached a critical point when a group, allegedly acting on Mr Mataya’s instructions, initiated the demolition of the three-storey commercial building last week. Mr Mukhono, the founder of Mount Elgon Believers Baptist Independent Mission, asserts that the land was acquired legitimately in 2004, with the consent of the registered proprietor, Ms Alice Kimono Kimaswa.
Records indicate a formal agreement between Mukhono and Ms Kimaswa in 2014, with Mukhono committing to paying 25 percent of the ground rent collected. However, their relationship soured in 2019, leading to a legal dispute still pending in the Court of Appeal.
Despite a standing court order (No 93 of 2021) maintaining the status quo, Mr Mataya, accompanied by police and armed individuals, allegedly evicted tenants and demolished the building. Mr Mukhono alleges that corruption within the police facilitated these actions.
The police legal officer for the Elgon region, Mr Moses Musana, asserts that ownership issues are still before the court, and he has not received any communication about a resolution. A senior police officer denies allegations of police involvement and emphasizes that Mukhono had previously sued the police in a related matter.
In an interview with the press, Mr Mataya claims to be the rightful owner, citing a Court of Appeal ruling (Misc Civil Application No 93 of 2021). He asserts acquiring the land from WordPaid Credit Finance (U) Ltd, with a land title issued in November 2021 supporting the transfer.
WordPaid Credit Finance Ltd’s manager, Mr Nicolas Musigo, confirms a transaction with Ms Kimaswa and directs further inquiries to the company’s legal adviser. The legal adviser insists that Mukhono does not own any structure on the disputed plot and dismisses allegations of fraudulent land acquisition.
Ms Mary Kimaswa Namarome, daughter of Ms Kimaswa, declines to comment on whether her mother mortgaged the land title with WordPaid Credit Finance Ltd. Efforts to reach Ms Kimaswa directly are unsuccessful, with reports suggesting she has relocated to her village home in Bududa District.
A local leader and neighbor of Ms Kimaswa suggests that Mukhono had turned against her, prompting her to mortgage the land title. The leader speculates that this move could be a planned strategy to distance herself from Mukhono.
