The High Court in Kampala has placed the estate of the late businessman James Garuga Musinguzi under the control of the Administrator General, deepening a simmering family dispute over control of assets said to run into hundreds of billions of shillings.
In a ruling delivered on Feb. 20 at the Family Division, Justice John Eudes Keitirima declined a request by the deceased’s eldest son, Alwyn Carl Musinguzi, to be granted joint temporary letters of administration alongside other beneficiaries as a dispute over the estate proceeds to full hearing.
Instead, the judge appointed the Administrator General to act as administrator pendente lite, a temporary manager, until the main civil suit challenging the widow’s stewardship is resolved.
Court records show the dispute stems from competing claims over who should administer the estate of Musinguzi, who died on Aug. 6 last year after battling cancer. His widow, Peace Kesiime Musinguzi, petitioned court in 2025 seeking sole letters of administration as the surviving spouse.
Her son Carl responded by filing a caveat and later a civil suit contesting her suitability. He alleges that she significantly undervalued the estate in her petition and that leaving her in sole control risks loss or dissipation of assets while the case is pending.
In submissions before court, Carl described the estate as vast and complex, citing high-value real estate, commercial holdings and extensive land assets across multiple districts. He argued that a joint interim arrangement would protect beneficiaries and ensure transparency.
Kesiime rejected those claims, telling court she had managed family businesses alongside her husband for decades and was fully capable of overseeing the estate. She characterized her son’s allegations as unfounded and said some of the properties he listed belong to separate corporate entities rather than to her late husband personally.
She also accused him of interfering with estate property and argued that granting him temporary authority would expose the estate to further conflict and potential mismanagement. Several other beneficiaries filed affidavits backing her position and opposing shared interim control.
In his ruling, Justice Keitirima observed that the parties, who are close relatives, had developed deep divisions and were unable to cooperate. Granting joint temporary authority, he said, would likely fuel further acrimony.
Citing Section 214 of the Succession Act, the court noted that the role of an administrator pendente lite is limited to preserving assets and maintaining continuity until disputes are settled. Such an appointee, the judge said, must be neutral and free of competing interests.
Leaving the estate without a legally recognized administrator during ongoing litigation would expose it to intermeddling and possible waste, the court found.
The Administrator General will now oversee the estate until Civil Suit No. 0346 of 2025, which challenges the widow’s fitness to act as sole administrator, is determined. Costs of the application will follow the outcome of the main case.
The late Musinguzi was a prominent businessman with interests in real estate, agriculture and hospitality. He was also a founding member of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change. He is survived by his wife and four children and was laid to rest at his country home in Rugyeyo, Kanungu District.
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