Ex Minister Miria Matembe accused in Entebe land dispute

KAMPALA. Former Minister of Ethics and Integrity, Hon Miria Matembe, has become a key figure in a land dispute involving 94 acres in Entebbe municipal council.

Ostensibly, the case is between the administrators of the late Mercy Ritah Nansikombi, led by M/S Marietta Agnes Lukwago and five others, and those of the late Kkodiwo Esuman Ankrar. However, it is alleged that Hon Matembe has an interest in the matter.

Hon Matembe has stated that her involvement in the land dispute is on humanitarian grounds, and nothing more.

When Chief Magistrate Stella Maris Amabillis was forced to defer a court session due to inadequate security, Hon Miria Matembe was reportedly present and seemed to have a good grasp of the situation.

For some time now, Hon Matembe has allegedly been a central figure in the dispute, reportedly managing the security of the contested land and the legal matters of the Ankrar family, which has caused many to be concerned.

It is therefore not surprising that many are worried that her interest is in protecting the Ankrar family’s land.

Her relationship with the Ankrar family has raised questions.

The Mercy Ritah Nansikombi’s side maintains that the former Minister is concealing her own intentions.

Our investigation can reveal that on many occasions, Hon Matembe has reportedly been working to aid the Ankrar side in the land dispute.

In the failed meeting, some of the Nansikombi family members accused Matembe of being behind the people who want to steal their land.

They alleged she was using her connections in the army and other government agencies to aid the Ankrar family.

HON MATEMBE SPEAKS OUT, DISMISSES BAD INTENTIONS

Hon Matembe told this Media that she is involved in the matter to help M/S Ankrar, one of the pioneer women activists in Uganda, who is ailing and whose interests are threatened.

“Matembe cannot take land, in fact those of the Nansikombi side who accuse me are the ones trying to take the land,” said Hon Matembe.

She said she was called by the Ankrar family late last year when they realized that the case was taking a turn with what they claimed were forgeries and high-handedness which led to courts giving an expedited judgment in Ankrar’s disfavor.

“The land which was bought in the 1970s was being given to a granddaughter from Nansikombi’s side in the names of Zawedde, we overturned this and they have not appealed, instead they are coming up with a new case,” she explained.

She admitted using her knowledge and contacts to seek the help of the IGP’s office to aid in the deployment of NEC security guards on the ground because the Nansikombi group was reportedly using up all the land.

She accused the Nansikombi group of threatening her and stalking her in an effort to make her enter a sharing deal on the land in question.

“Even last night they sent me a messenger to convince me to rescind my intentions and I join them and we share. They want to give me some acres. If they are right, why are they making advances to me? I’m being threatened from all directions,” she narrated.

CHAOS AT THE CONTESTED LAND WHICH LED TO THE DEFERRED SESSION

On the fateful day when Chief Magistrate Stella Maris Amabillis deferred the court session, her own security was reportedly not there.

Whereas she had earlier written to the Entebbe DPC on the 29th of August, 2025 to ensure police were deployed at the contested land, no deployment was reportedly effected.

The only forces on the ground on the court day were the NEC security guards from a private company which court had already directed to vacate that sight through a court order.

And despite the order, the NEC security company had reportedly not moved an inch and Police and all relevant authorities did not act to enforce the court order.

It is from such a background that the Nansikombi family believes there is a secret party in the dispute.

They maintain that the regular presence of Hon Matembe at the site and other related matters on the same land are not for nothing but that she could be driving a secret interest.

Initially Hon Matembe said she was early to reach the ground on the request of the Ankrar family but that Chief Magistrate Stella Maris Amabillis came a little late towards 5pm when court was supposed to start at 2pm.

She said they agreed to postpone it to late September because there was no police and it was getting dark.

BACKGROUND

M/S Marietta Agnes Lukwago and five other administrators of the estate of late Mercy Ritah Nansikombi sued Eleanor Maxine Ankrar, the administrator of the estate of the late Kkodiwo Esuman Ankrar and the registrar of titles over ownership of the land in question.

In the main suit and related miscellaneous suits, the plaintiffs allege that the estate administrators are unlawfully claiming and attempting to evict them from land they have occupied for a long time.

However the respondents also insist that the land in question is theirs.

They maintain that the land forms part of the estate of the late Ankrar which must remain under their administration.

But no serious defense backed with empirical evidence has ever been tendered in challenging the plaintiffs.

It was for this very reason that the Chief Magistrate wanted to visit the site to discover the truth.

Such a visit was supposed to attract area residents who have also become part of the disagreement which threatens their livelihood too.

In fact such residents of Bujiri zone, Entebbe were most disappointed when the court session was deferred because to them it was another postponement of justice.