Robinah Matanda, a daughter of the late John Matanda former Deputy Mayor of Mbale Municipality in the 1980’s could not hold back her tears before Justice Catherine Bamugemereire. Matanda and the family petitioned the Commission of Inquiry into Land Matters seeking their intervention to refrain businessmen taking over property they claimed belonged to their deceased father. This was after High Court Judge John Kaweesa ordered their eviction from buildings located on plot 11 Republican Street in Mbale. Tempers flared as Matanda asked Parima Patel and Praful Patel to go back to their land. “Praful when will you go back to India and see your people?” “Go back home Praful, go home and leave our country.” Justice Catherine Bamugemereire warned her not to use ethnicity to discriminate Ugandans of Indian origin. “It’s a policy of this government, it’s a policy and not just this government even the governments before it has been a policy to be receptive Uganda as a whole so I think you should withdraw those statements.”
The accused were present during the hearing awaiting their turn to defend themselves against the allegations. Parima Patel and Praful Patel claimed to have bought the land from the defunct Uganda Commercial Bank. “Then also the Chief Magistrate notes that there was no evidence that plot 11 was ever mortgaged to Uganda Commercial Bank.” Last week, the Commission commenced its hearings in Mbale and Parima Patel was accused to allegedly tempting to take over Elgon Nursery and Primary School. The Probe Commission also established that Parima Patel owned 25 plots of land with buildings in Mbale town. Matanda also accused a businessman Masa Musa and Mayanja of conniving with Indians to grab their family property.
“We have again developed more fear upon seeing Masa Musa around our premises.” Justice Catherine Bamugemereire ordered Masa Musa to vacate the building with immediate effect. Masa Musa appeared before the Commission in Mbale town and was questioned for allegedly grabbing another piece of land on Naboa road. “Should we find it true that the Masa Musa is marauding around the building, can he be ordered to leave immediately? We want to investigate our matters without marauders, should our investigators find you there, we will be asking very tough questions and in fact, we warn anybody who takes advantage of Christmas time to think that it’s the time to start doing illegal actions. Our office will be open and we will deal with people who interfere with the areas we are investigating.”
Bosco Watenga a businessman in Mbale also accused Parima Patel of grabbing plot 17 on Flight road he claimed was acquired from the departed custodian of Asian Bood in 2010. “Parima. B. Patel purportedly sold the same property to one Robinah Froese and me.” Catherine Bamugemereire later adjourned the day’s hearing before Parima Patel and Praful Patel would defend themselves against these allegations.
