Africa-Press – Uganda. The High Court in Mbale has set November 2 to hear an application, challenging the alleged continued construction by Ms Lydia Wanyoto Mutende, the chairperson of the NRM Women League, on her late father’s family property on the outskirts of Mbale City.
“The respondent’s (Ms Wanyoto) conduct of continuing with disputed activities, to wit tree cutting, garden-destruction, grading, construction, compound setting and enclosure of the burial grounds on the suit land is in contempt of the interim order staying the status quo issued on the 16th September 2022 in Miscellaneous Application No.368 of 2022,” court documents dated October 3 read in part.
The application was filed by Ms Wanyoto’s siblings; Mr Paul Mugoya Wanyoto, a High Court advocate, and the chairperson of Mbale City Land Board, Ms Harriet Wanyoto Mabonga.
READ: Wanyotos take property row to court
The siblings, among others, aver that Ms Wanyoto has on several occasions has stormed their late father’s home and attempted to take over their family property while side lining them.
Ms Wanyoto’s siblings in their application contend that on September 16, court issued an interim order, maintaining the status quo on the family land pending the disposal of the main law suits.
But one of the siblings, Ms Mabonga, in her application before court, claims that despite this, Ms Wanyoto has continued to carry out activities on the said family land to their disadvantage.
Allegations
“The respondent (Ms Wanyoto) has deployed builders, bodyguards and goons on the suit land who have made it a habit to restrict and obstruct me and other beneficiaries of the estate of the late Jacob Gudoi Wanyoto and our visitors by subjecting us to demeaning checks and interrogations such that we can no longer freely access the suit land to obtain food in the now destroyed garden or visit the graves thereon or freely assemble as we did,” the petition reads.
Ms Mabonga adds that on September 23, Mbale City law enforcement officers visited the contested family land to stop the unauthorised construction thereon but they were instead chased by Ms Wanyoto’s bodyguards.
“The respondent (Ms Wanyoto) has been abusing powers and privileges as a highly guarded dignitary of the ruling party to intimidate, obstruct and interfere with the police in the Elgon zone. The respondent’s impunity if not checked properly, and promptly, will become a further conflict on the suit land and undermines the public trust in the Judiciary,” Ms Mabonga avers in her affidavit.
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