Lawyer Male Mabirizi has returned to the Constitutional Court in an ongoing legal issue involving Ronald Muwenda Mutebi, the Kabaka of the Buganda Kingdom, and his representatives.

Mabirizi recently filed an appeal in which she requested a temporary injunction to halt many proceedings that were planned to begin on October 1, 2023, including the registration of mass settlers and the collection of ground rent. According to him, the targets of these activities are those who live on land that is officially designated as mailo.

Mabirizi’s principal goal is to prevent the Kabaka and his organizations from using official mailo land as if they were registered owners. He objects to the imposition of registration fees, the use of force against landowners, and the imposition of a 10% tax on the earnings of land sales.

In addition, he wants to prevent government agencies that support these activities from obtaining funds from Buganda residents who are not leaseholders. Mabirizi asserts that the Kabaka is merely a trustee of official mailo property, making these allegations untrue.

The collection of ground rent has previously been resisted by Mabirizi. Judge Dr. Esther Kisakye of the Supreme Court turned down his motion to cease these collections in 2020, and in 2017, a court of appeals panel of justices led by Justice Egonda Ntende overturned a High Court judgement by Patricia Basaza ordering the Kabaka to submit certain information. Mabirizi later petitioned the Constitutional Court with a similar case, which is still being decided.