A Kampala businessman has dragged fellow businessman Hamis Kiggundu to court over alleged land grabbing and the unlawful demolition of commercial property in the city.
Moses Namatiti, through his company Namex Ministries Limited, filed a civil suit against Ham jointly with the Kampala District Land Board, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and Kiham Enterprises Uganda Limited.
Court documents indicate that the case, registered as Civil Suit No. 0049 of 2026, arises from a dispute over land located on Plot 22A Nakivubo Road near St. Balikuddembe Market in Kampala.
According to the suit filed by lawyers from Kintu Nteza & Co. Advocates, Namex Ministries Limited claims that in 2007 it entered into a partnership with the management committee of Nakivubo Settlement Primary School to construct sanitation facilities for the school community.
The agreement reportedly allowed the company to construct additional commercial structures—including stores, offices and public sanitation facilities—on part of the school land adjacent to the market.
The proposal was presented to the former Kampala City Council (KCC), which was then the controlling authority of the school, for approval. Court filings state that KCC approved the project through the office of the Senior Principal Town Clerk and issued architectural drawings, a bill of quantities and a commencement letter for a four-storey structure.
Namex Ministries says it completed the construction according to the approved specifications and has occupied and operated on the land since 2007.
However, the company alleges that on the night of March 7, 2026, businessman Kiggundu, accompanied by security operatives and hired individuals, deployed heavy machinery that demolished the structures and allegedly looted merchandise from the premises.
The company further accuses the Kampala District Land Board of fraudulently processing a land title for Deputy Speaker Tayebwa on land that it says had already been occupied and utilised by Namex Ministries for nearly two decades.
In the suit, Namex argues that the land was not available for allocation and that the certificate of title issued to Tayebwa is illegal and should be cancelled.
The company is also accusing Kiggundu of carrying out an unlawful demolition without following the required legal procedures.
Among the remedies sought, Namex Ministries wants court to declare it the lawful owner of the land and cancel Tayebwa’s land title on grounds of fraud and illegality. It is also seeking Shs5 billion in damages from Kiggundu over the demolition and alleged losses incurred.
The case has been assigned to Damalie Lwanga, the head of the Land Division of the High Court, for case management.
Court documents show that the defendants have been given 15 days from the date of service to file their defence.
“Should you fail to file a defence on or before the date mentioned, the plaintiff may proceed with the suit and judgment may be given in your absence,” the summons reads.
In a statement posted on his account on X, formerly Twitter, Tayebwa confirmed that he obtained a lease for land in the Nakivubo area in 2018.
“This was done through the formal and legal processes available to any citizen—I applied, followed the stipulated procedures, and paid all requisite fees like anyone else,” he wrote.
Tayebwa added that after he submitted building plans for approval, KCCA informed him that the land was required for strategic public activities.
“KCCA then offered to compensate me and I accepted their proposal. KCCA went ahead and took possession of the land approximately three years ago,” he said.
The dispute follows the recent charging and remand of four individuals to prison for allegedly carrying out a demolition without authorisation from city authorities.
