Kabale District Local Government is facing a financial burden after losing a land dispute case and being ordered to pay Shs155 million in compensation.
The case dates back to 2014 when the district, while opening a road connecting Bigaga Trading Centre to Katojo in Butanda Sub County, encroached on the land of Engineer Hillary Mugisha without his consent.
The construction caused cracks to develop in Mugisha’s house, prompting him to petition the Kabale High Court under civil suit number 0005.
Court ruled in Mugisha’s favor and directed the district to pay him Shs155 million.
During a council session at the district hall on Tuesday, councilors recommended that the compensation be paid in installments, with Shs30 million allocated per financial year.
Richard Mporeera, the councilor representing elder persons, blamed the loss on negligence, noting that district authorities and the Solicitor General failed to file a defense or negotiate with the plaintiff.
District Speaker Flavia Nyinakiiza Kanagyizi admitted that taxpayers will ultimately bear the cost, stressing that the failure to file defenses has been a recurring problem that has left the district vulnerable in many cases.
She warned that unless the issue is addressed, the district risks losing more cases, especially those involving government land.
Chief Administrative Officer Ronald Mutegeki attributed the problem to a lack of commitment and called for consultations with the Solicitor General to establish the root cause.
He further advised that the district should consider hiring private lawyers in cases where the Solicitor General does not file defenses.
Mutegeki revealed that the district is currently battling more than 30 cases, a situation he has already documented in a report.
