Kampala businessman Hamis Kiggundu has been taken to court over allegations of illegally demolishing buildings and grabbing land in Nakivubo, in a case that also names Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa among the defendants.
The lawsuit was filed by Moses Namatiti through Namex Ministries Limited, accusing Kiggundu of orchestrating the demolition of property the company says it has occupied and developed for nearly two decades. Other parties listed in the suit include the Kampala District Land Board, Kampala Capital City Authority, and Kiham Enterprises Uganda Limited.
According to court documents, the dispute dates back to 2007 when Namex Ministries says it partnered with Nakivubo Settlement Primary School to construct sanitation facilities for pupils, teachers, and nearby residents. As part of the arrangement, the company says it was also permitted to develop commercial structures—including shops, offices, and public sanitation facilities—on the western side of the school land near St. Balikuddembe Market.
The project was reportedly approved by the former Kampala City Council, which provided architectural plans, design drawings, and a bill of quantities before authorising construction to begin.
Namex Ministries claims it completed four-storey buildings on the land and continued using them until 7 March 2026, when Kiggundu allegedly deployed security personnel and heavy machinery to demolish the structures and remove goods from the premises.
In the suit, the company further accuses the Kampala District Land Board of irregularly issuing a land title for the disputed property to Tayebwa, arguing that the land had already been developed and occupied by Namex for years. It claims the plot was therefore not available for allocation and wants the title declared invalid.
Namex Ministries is asking court to declare it the rightful owner of Plot 22A on Nakivubo Road, cancel Tayebwa’s land title, and order Kiggundu to pay Shs5 billion in compensation for losses caused by the demolition.
Court documents show that all the defendants have been directed to file their defence within 15 days after receiving the summons. Failure to respond within the given timeframe could allow the case to proceed and judgment to be issued in their absence.
Responding to the matter, Tayebwa said he lawfully acquired a lease for the Nakivubo land in 2018 through official procedures.
“I applied through the normal process available to any Ugandan, followed the required steps, and paid all the necessary fees,” he explained.
The Deputy Speaker added that after he submitted development plans, Kampala Capital City Authority later informed him that the land was required for strategic public use.
“KCCA offered to compensate me for the land, which I accepted. They took possession of it about three years ago,” Tayebwa said.
The court case comes shortly after four individuals accused of carrying out the demolition without approval from the city authorities were arrested and remanded to Luzira Prison.
