This too is my land. - Justice Centres Uganda

This too is my land.

The dispute took place in 2019 in Kasunga I village, Mukunyu Sub County concerning a husband who wanted to sell off their family land without the wife’s consent. Abigail and William (pseudonyms) got married customarily and jointly acquired land where they later constructed their home. Shortly after the completion of the house, William abandoned Abigail and went to live with his first wife for a period of three years. During this period, he kept pressurizing Abigail into giving him the land agreement which she refused. William alleged that he purchased the land alone and just included Abigail’s name which was false.

Abigail has a son with special needs that she had from her first marriage. When her first husband passed, she hoped to find love and settle down with her son therefore despite all that William had done, she had hope that they’d reconcile. She tried resolving the matter at the CDO’s office and the Police, but William wasn’t cooperative. She then approached JCU Kasese office after hearing about the services they render on radio. A JCU lawyer conducted four mediations with the parties. William adamantly refused to attend the first three mediations until JCU went locus to mediate the matter in the presence of village chairperson and three different neighbors. Matrimonial property rights were explained to the parties and William ultimately understood his mistake.

The matter was amicably settled, Abigail’s contribution towards the purchase of land and construction of the house was recognized and an MoU was signed to that effect. She retained her portion of the land that her husband agreed not to encroach on.

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