UGANDA, Mukono | Real Muloodi News | The High Court has opened hearings in a high-profile Namanve land dispute case involving prominent businessman Godfrey Kirumira, Liberty Inland Container Depot (ICD), and Capital Ventures International Limited (CVIL). The dispute centres on the ownership of an 85-acre parcel located within Namanve Industrial Park, a prime commercial zone supervised by the Uganda Investment Authority.
At the outset of the hearing, lawyers representing Liberty ICD argued that their client is the registered proprietor of the land and questioned the validity of the transaction cited by Kirumira. Liberty ICD’s counsel, Esau Insingoma, told the court that the land was used as collateral earlier but remains the company’s property.
“Liberty ICD never intended to transfer ownership permanently,” Insingoma said. He explained that the title was deposited as security for a loan and that the purported sale is legally questionable.
Kirumira, who also serves as Namibia’s honorary consul in Uganda, insists that he legitimately purchased the land from Yokana Galikwoleka Mukasa in October 2017. In his submissions, he maintained that the transaction followed customary processes and that his interest is valid.
The claim, however, raised immediate challenges due to inconsistencies in the timeline. Court documents reveal that Mukasa died in 1996, raising questions about how a valid sale agreement in 2017 could have been concluded.
CVIL’s legal team took a different angle, describing the transaction as a loan repayment arrangement rather than a sale. Lawyer Michael Higenyi told the court that CVIL is prepared to repay the original USh520 million loan if Kirumira would return the land title.
“We are willing to settle the financial obligation so that title reverts to Liberty ICD,” Higenyi said, suggesting a possible resolution outside prolonged litigation.
Justice Stephen Mubiru, presiding over the case, acknowledged the complexity of the evidence and adjourned proceedings to allow all parties time to prepare their trial bundles, witness statements, and other submissions. Court was adjourned with instructions for a resumed hearing in February 29, 2026.
The case has attracted attention due to Kirumira’s public profile and the commercial importance of the land in dispute. Namanve Industrial Park is a key industrial hub, hosting various international and local businesses. A ruling that affirms or undermines Kirumira’s claim could have implications for ongoing investment confidence and land rights enforcement in the region.
Observers note that land disputes such as this are not uncommon in Uganda, where documentation practices have historically been weak, and overlapping claims often lead to prolonged court battles.
Legal analysts say the courtroom will likely focus on the legitimacy of the 2017 transaction, the chain of title, and whether the original transaction was legally permissible given the alleged date of Mukasa’s death.
“Resolution of this case will require careful scrutiny of historical records and chain of ownership,” said a land law expert outside the courtroom. “The court must weigh documentary evidence alongside testimonies to determine whose claim is legally enforceable.”
Kirumira’s presence in the proceedings has been noted, though at times he has not always appeared in person for earlier steps in the litigation. Protestations by CVIL and Liberty ICD’s lawyers have framed some of his earlier applications as delay tactics, according to messages filed in court.
The judge has also emphasised the necessity of clear evidence tying the disputed land to a valid title transfer. Without indisputable documentation, the court may be forced to rule on technical legal grounds rather than the merits of competing claims.
Pending the next hearing, all parties are expected to submit comprehensive evidence addressing ownership, the supposed sale, the loan agreement, and any chain of title issues.
Families and businesses watching the case say the outcome could shape future land transaction norms in emerging industrial zones like Namanve, where commercial development continues to accelerate and land values remain high.
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