Milly Nangonzi Zzimula with her son Matayo Mugwanya showing some of the destroyed property at Buloba in Wakiso District.
The family of the late ex-minister of local government, John Zzimula Mugwanya have appealed to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to fulfill his promised compensation to save them from losing their mortgaged property.
At the time of his death in December 2006, Zzimula-Mugwanya, the former presidential advisor on culture was demanding from government more than Shillings 10 billion as compensation for his property among them a factory that were destroyed during the liberation struggle.
In a bid to restore his property, the late Mugwanya had mortgaged some of his property in banks and money lenders among them his home at Buloba-Bunwa, in Wakiso District, but he died before.
Some of his family members have appealed to the President to intervene and save the estate of the late Mugwanya that is being taken over by different people due to unpaid debts. Documents held by family members indicate that in July 2003, the chief government valuer wrote to the Solicitor General’s office indicating that the Mugwanya’s properties were destroyed and that the cost of rehabilitation was Shs10.6 billion.
While mourning Mugwanya’s death, family members say that President Musveni promised to pay his debts and also compensate for the destroyed property. Milly Nangonzi Zzimula, who was the second widow to the deceased said that nothing has been done 16 years later, after the president directed state house officials to process the payments. “We have moved to everywhere chief to get the compensation money to pay off the loans in vain. But worse of it all, the banks and individuals where the deceased borrowed the money from have embarked on taking the property one after another,” says Nangonzi Zzimula.
She said the action of leaving the matter pending has led the family into untold suffering because most of the property have been taken and that even the remaining house is at the verge of being taken.
The outcry followed an attack onto the family where a group of armed men destroyed plantation near the residence claiming for part of the property as compensation for the unpaid monies. According to Nangonzi, the family was attacked on Tuesday night and the attackers destroyed property and crops in their home.
Mugwanya Pius Musiitwa, one of the beneficiaries of the estate of the former minister said that they are struggling with protracted legal battles in courts of law against different individuals over unpaid loans acquired by the deceased. He said that they have since paid more than Shs280 million to the banks and that they were forced to borrow from money lenders to clear bank loans which has turned out a burden to them.
“The disturbance we are going through is a result of unfulfilled promises that forced us to look for property dealers and money lenders who are now turning against us seeking to evict us due to delayed loan repayment,” he said.
Musiitwa lamented: “We have been served with one sided judgments from cases we are not aware of simply because government has not done its part. We are not blaming anyone but let the officials concerned take action such that Zzimula Mugwanya property can survive being taken.”
When contacted, State House press secretary Linda Nabusayi could not comment on the matter saying she needed time to get details.
The Minister for presidency, Milly Babalanda was not available for a comment as her known telephone number remained unanswered despite repeated calls.
–URN
