KAMPALA – A vicious family feud over the vast estate of the late tycoon James Musinguzi Garuga has erupted in the High Court in Kampala, with shocking allegations that his wife deliberately prevented him from receiving critical medical care to seize control of the family’s trillion-shilling empire.
The sensational claims are contained in a sworn affidavit by Alwyn Carl Musinguzi, the first-born son of the deceased, who has directly accused his mother, Peace Kesime Musinguzi, of orchestrating a plan to ensure his father’s death in Uganda.
According to Alwyn’s court filing, his mother hid his father’s passport and blocked a medically recommended evacuation to London for urgent treatment. He alleges her motive was to keep his father in the country where he would eventually pass away, thereby allowing her to “snatch control” of the family’s immense wealth, which he values at over Ugx 1 trillion.
The estate in question is a sprawling business empire that includes more than 150 land titles, lucrative tea estates operated under Kigezi Highland Tea Ltd, ranches in Ngoma and Kyankwanzi, a prime mansion in Mbuya, and the prestigious Savanna Resort Hotel in Kanungu, alongside a multitude of bank accounts.
Alwyn has further accused his mother of under-declaring the true value of these assets in her court filings to the Probate Registry, a move he suggests is intended to minimize scrutiny and consolidate her control.
In his legal pushback, Alwyn is demanding that the court involve all adult beneficiaries in the administration of the estate. He argues that Peace Kesime has skipped crucial legal steps, such as obtaining a mandatory Certificate of No Objection from the Administrator General, which is required for a grant of probate.
Adding another layer to the dispute, Alwyn has also raised questions about his mother’s physical fitness to manage such a complex and massive business portfolio, suggesting she may not be capable of handling the demands.
The very public and acrimonious court battle has turned the grieving Garuga family into a public spectacle mere weeks after the burial of its patriarch. The case has sent ripples of concern through the business community, with fears that the destabilizing family feud could jeopardize the operations of the companies and affect the countless employees and dependents who rely on them for their livelihood.
The case continues at the High Court.
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