Kitovu Mobile saves granny from land grabber, ends perennial family land wrangles

By Moses Muwulya,Communications Officer
Joventa Nakamate, a resident of Banda, Kabira Sub-county, and Kyotera District is is among the grannies under Kitovu Mobile Grandmothers and OVC support project.
The sixty-four-year-old widow is among the grannies whose rights to own property is violated by relatives after death of their spouses. She had been stopped by her daughter in-law from selling part of her land.

A widow to her step-son, the daughter in-law claimed she had no right to sell the land because it was hers.
She pegged her demands on the fact that her husband died and all the seven children that she bore him died of HIV/AIDS.

This sunk Nakamate in emotional distress. “Someone to chase me on the land which I got in 1977 after telling my spouse that I could not manage living in one house with a co-wife. He then bought for me land and built a temporary house in which we lived until his death in 1991.

But what pains her most is that the motivation to sell part of the land is to pay medical bills for her grandchild, the very daughter to the person stopping her from selling the land. “I also would not have wished to it sell off but I had accumulated debts of close to 4 Million Ugx on medical bills

“This really distressed me. The money was spent on her daughter whom she left under my care at the age of one!”
She adds: She went to town and never sent me any support. Now that things have turned worse over Covid-19, she claims she wants to use land for farming “All the potential buyers she could get, she, says the daughter in-law would threaten them.

But Nakamate says the pandemic just accelerated the situation, noting that “she started chasing me from the land in 2015 after the death of her spouse (my step son)” She wanted me to stay in the kitchen, leaving the house which I built by myself after the reagent refused to help her over my refusal to get married to him”

Seeking redress from Kitovu Mobile

Knowing that Kitovu Mobile works on such, she sought redress through the project counselor. And just as she trusted, her calculation worked as the team joined her in the fight for her rights.
After months of engaging leaders, including the Community Development Officer, District Probation and the in-law, the matter was concluded.

Land was sold off at 5 million Ugx. Medical bills and other debts were settled. Happiness roofed Nakamatte, all her fears were drawn away, and she emotionally picked herself back to life again.
“I can’t thank you enough for fighting for me! It is only God to reward you and your partners”

Appreciation
Kitovu Mobile if indbeted for the generous support from the Stephen Lewis Foundation that sees it support such grannies who are affected by HIV/AIDS. You can also support us to cause a greater impact as the need is huge.