[2025] UGHC 371

[2025] UGHC 371

The court found that the Powers of Attorney issued by the administrators of the estates to Kato James Kaberu were incompetent and invalid, as administrators cannot delegate their statutory mandate to represent the estate in court. The court further held that the respondents were not registered proprietors of the...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2025] UGHC 371
Parties
Applicant: Bwanika Trevor Lukanga; Respondent: Kiyingi Hannington (Administrator of the estate of the late Kopuliyano Kiyingi); Respondent: Sam Ssewagudde Ssalongo (Administrator of the late Sserunkuuma)
Court
High Court of Uganda
Jurisdiction
Uganda
Case Number
Miscellaneous Application 240 of 2024
Procedural Posture
Miscellaneous Application / Ruling on Preliminary Objections and Application to Strike Out Main Suit
Outcome
Application allowed; main suit struck out and dismissed with costs to the applicant.
Judges
Bukirwa, J
Legal Topics
Locus Standi, Powers of Attorney, Limitation of Actions, Recovery of Land, Representative Actions
Source Language
en
Civil Procedure Land and Property Locus Standi Powers of Attorney Limitation of Actions Recovery of Land Representative Actions

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Parties

Bwanika Trevor Lukanga

Applicant

Kiyingi Hannington (Administrator of the estate of the late Kopuliyano Kiyingi)

Respondent

Sam Ssewagudde Ssalongo (Administrator of the late Sserunkuuma)

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Miscellaneous Application / Ruling on Preliminary Objections and Application to Strike Out Main Suit

  1. 1 Whether the respondents' suit vide HCCS No. 90 of 2023 is incompetent and liable to be struck out.
  2. 2 Whether the suit is barred by the law of limitation.
  3. 3 Whether the suit discloses any valid cause of action against the applicant.

Ratio Decidendi

The court found that the Powers of Attorney issued by the administrators of the estates to Kato James Kaberu were incompetent and invalid, as administrators cannot delegate their statutory mandate to represent the estate in court. The court further held that the respondents were not registered proprietors of the suit land and thus could not issue a valid Power of Attorney under the Registration of Titles Act. Consequently, Kato James Kaberu lacked locus standi to commence the main suit, rendering all pleadings a nullity. Additionally, the court found that the respondents' claim for recovery of land was time-barred, as the right of action accrued in 1977 and no action was taken within the...

Court Disposition

Application allowed; main suit struck out and dismissed with costs to the applicant.

Orders

  • Civil Suit No. 90 of 2023 is struck out and dismissed for want of locus standi and being time-barred.
  • The applicant is awarded costs in both this application and the main suit.