Canon Violet Garuga, the mother of the late businessman Dr. James Musinguzi Garuga has rejected what she describes as a distorted account of a recent family meeting insisting that no agreement was reached on her demands and accusing some family members of attempting to use the media to rewrite what happened.
Canon Violet says she wants her tea plantations and grazing land returned and has given her daughter-in-law Peace Kesiime Bagorogoza 30 days to restore the property or face legal action.
She is also demanding that Bagorogoza reconstruct a house she says was demolished forcing her to seek accommodation from one of her other sons.
Speaking to this publication, Canon Violet said the meeting was not initiated by her and that she was contacted unexpectedly by her grandson Johnny Musinguzi who pleaded to meet her to discuss family matters.
Johnny later arrived at her home with a goat, according to Canon Violet but she says she immediately made it clear that she was not prepared to endorse any arrangement that did not address what she considers the central issue which is the return of her property.
“Johnny came here with a goat but I told him that I did not agree with whatever they were going to talk about. I told him that I want my land and plantations which his mother forcefully took away from me. My late son and I bought that land in 1977 when he was still a very young man. I also contributed to its purchase,” she said.
Canon Violet is now challenging the authenticity and accuracy of minutes allegedly being circulated following the meeting.
She says the version read to her at the conclusion of the meeting was fundamentally different from what has subsequently been presented to the public through media reports and social media posts.
“What was read to me is not what they are now putting out through sponsored posts. Maybe they wrote another set of minutes when they reached home after leaving here,” she said.
She further reveals that she refused to sign the minutes because she was uncomfortable with how the proceedings were being recorded.
According to Canon Violet, the person brought by Johnny to record the proceedings was the daughter of a person she identified as Rwankiko. Rwankiko himself is accused of meddling in Garuga’s family land issues.
“I told her that I don’t know how to write when she asked me to sign because I knew their treachery,” she said.
The elderly matriarch also questioned the motives behind the subsequent public statements particularly because she says Bagorogoza whom they claim is in good terms with her was not present during the meeting.
“I am now feeling mentally unstable because of their unfounded and untrue allegations. I don’t know what Peace and Johnny are up to. First of all, Peace was not in this meeting,” she said.
Canon Violet also disputed any suggestion that she willingly participated in the group photograph taken after the meeting.
She says she deliberately remained inside her house after the discussions because she did not want to be associated with what she viewed as an unacceptable process.
According to her, she only appeared in the photograph after those present pleaded with her to come outside and join them.
She now fears that the photograph is now being used to create the impression that she endorsed the meeting’s alleged resolutions.
Why She Wants Her Tea Plantations Back
Canon Violet says her demand for the return of the tea plantations is not merely about ownership but also about her livelihood.
She wants to regain control of the plantations, supply the tea to a factory and begin earning income that would enable her to support herself.
She says the death of her son who had been taking care of her has left her in a vulnerable position and makes the recovery of her property even more urgent.
Canon Violet also accuses Bagorogoza of excluding her from her late son’s estate arguing that she is entitled to a share under Uganda’s succession laws.
She says she will not sit back and watch as questions surrounding her rights to the estate remain unresolved.
30-Day Ultimatum
Canon Violet has now drawn a line in the sand.
She has given Bagorogoza one month to return what she describes as her tea plantations and grazing land.
Failure to comply, she says will leave her with no option but to seek intervention from the relevant authorities and courts of law.
“If they don’t return my property within one month, I will seek redress from the relevant authorities and courts of law,” she said.
She is equally demanding the reconstruction of the house she maintains was demolished by Bagorogoza saying its destruction left her without a home and forced her to seek shelter from another son.
For her, the matter remains unresolved. She says there will be no settlement, no endorsement of disputed minutes and no acceptance of a narrative she did not agree to until her demands concerning the land, plantations, house and her interest in her late son’s estate are addressed.
