A Wakiso land dispute has forced a family to delay the burial of their 95-year-old matriarch, igniting a clash over ancestral land ownership and Church involvement.
The disputed land—0.575 hectares (approximately 1.4 acres)—sits on Block 306, Plot 2430 in Busiro County. Mr. Richard Luswata Musajjakaawa, the Kattikiro of the Nyonyi-Namungoona clan, asserts that the land belongs to the clan as their ancestral home. However, the Kampala Catholic Archdiocese claims ownership, stating that the late Maria Thereza Nakibuuka donated the land to the Legion of Mary ten years ago.
Nakibuuka had reportedly taken the title to the Nakulabye Catholic Parish priest for safekeeping, fearing that someone might steal it from her home. Now, the Church says she gave the land to the Legion of Mary, a Catholic lay organization, with full intent.
After her death on June 9, the family discovered the Church’s plans to develop the property. According to Mr. Luswata, the Legion of Mary instructed Nakibuuka to relocate graves on the land, demolish her house, and move elsewhere, promising to build her a new home. This land also serves as a graveyard for about 50 deceased family members.
The clan, shocked by this information, refused to bury Nakibuuka until the Church returns the land title. “We entrusted her with the title because we believed in her honesty. She couldn’t even write—how did she sign a transfer?” Luswata questioned.
The family argues that the Church never consulted them before transferring the title. “Where did they expect us to take our ancestors’ remains?” Luswata asked. “This land holds generations of our history.”
Ms. Zipora Naluggwa, who traveled from Kiboga District, said she expected to return home on June 12 but has remained stuck due to the burial delay. “Let the Church be transparent and allow justice,” she pleaded.
The clan began demanding the return of the title three years ago when Nakibuuka could no longer produce it. They suspected foul play and later confirmed their fears when they learned that the Church had sold part of the land and started collecting rent from tenants.
On June 11, family leaders, including Mr. Luswata and Mr. Patrick Bisere, met Church officials at Rubaga Cathedral. Rev. Fr. Richard Ssajjabi, CEO of the Kampala Archdiocese Land Board, attended along with other board members. The Church officials said they would consult the Legion of Mary and respond—but haven’t done so yet.
Fr. Ssajjabi later told journalists that the title officially changed hands in 2017 and that Nakibuuka willingly donated the land. He said she even asked the Church to honor a previous land sale, which they agreed to despite having legal grounds to reject it.
Fr. Ssajjabi denied claims that the Church had blocked the burial or acted improperly. “We have documentation—meeting minutes, deeds, transfer forms,” he said, though he declined to allow photographs. He emphasized that the Legion of Mary, as landowners, must first review any proposal to reverse the donation.
Despite these assurances, the Nyonyi-Namungoona clan insists that Church officials exploited Nakibuuka’s illiteracy and failed to consult the rightful stakeholders. The clan wrote to the Kampala Archdiocese Land Board on June 24, 2024, demanding the return of the title. Their letter claimed that Church representatives urged Nakibuuka to demolish her home and relocate, causing her significant emotional distress.
Nakibuuka dictated a letter before her death, stating that the Church’s behavior left her “shivering and sick.”
Minister for Lands, Housing, and Urban Development Judith Nabakooba has urged religious institutions to register idle land and collaborate with government committees to update land records. She warned that unregistered plots often lead to land grabbing and disputes, like the Wakiso land dispute.
Ms. Christine Nakyajja, a family member, said she lost faith in the Church. “They were supposed to guide us. Instead, they moved in silence,” she said.
This Wakiso land dispute highlights the rising tensions over ancestral land rights, inheritance, and ethical governance. The family continues to demand the return of the land title and plans legal action if the Church refuses.
The elders still hold the body, awaiting justice before burial. “We’re not moving until they return our land,” Luswata declared. “Even if it takes a month, we’ll wait.”
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