By Andrew Irumba
Beatrice Kavuma Kiwanuka, the first wife of ailing tycoon Mohan Kiwanuka, has finally spoken out about the current family war between her son Jordan Ssebuliba, his father Kiwanuka and and her co-wife Maria Kiwanuka,the former minister for finance.
Kiwanuka is involved in a bitter war with his son Ssebuliba over his vast business empire, that includes more than 35 companies. Kiwanuka and Maria accuse Ssebuliba of attempting to grab his father’s properties using shrewd methods by claiming that the father is no longer mentally sound and because of his ill health, he cannot ably run his business empire.
At the height of their war, Kiwanuka threw Ssebuliba out of his properties and even rejected him as his biological son. However, for the first time, Ssebuliba’s mother, who had kept silent, has opened up about the the family war in a statement she issued today Thursday October 17, 2019, which is reproduced verbatim below,
1st statement- Setting the record straight by Beatrice Kavuma Kiwanuka
I have decided to speak up on behalf of my children and I, after a long debate with my children and family, having preferred and hoped that this family crisis that we face would be handled privately, and not in the media, playing out in front of the Nation.
We have raised our children not to speak back to elders, in keeping with Kiganda culture. Therefore, our son, Jordan Ssebuliba Kiwanuka, who is at the centre of this storm, bearing the brunt of it all, was never going to come out and talk back to his Father, especially in the media.
However, I have realised and come to the conclusion that this would do more harm than good, especially for our son, Jordan. I therefore decided, as the elder on my branch of the family to speak up on their behalf.
I hope that we can come to a peaceful resolution of this family crisis, without first leading to the destruction, eviction and intimidation of my branch of the family by my co-wife, Maria Kiwanuka following her recent appointments as Director in Mwaami Kiwanuka’s companies.
Background and Genesis of this crisis
One – It is important to note that my children and I have not had access to Mwaami Kiwanuka since about April 2019, and in my case, a little longer than that. Given that he is unwell, his movements and the people he interacts with and is allowed to access are now limited by his current minder, my co-wife, Maria Kiwanuka.
Mwaami Kiwanuka has been unwell for a while, atleast over two years now, and we have been dealing with it and trying to take it in stride, but perhaps our communication and frankness about it within the family could have been better. However, when our son, Jordan suddenly received hostile letters from his Father’s recently appointed Lawyers evicting him from his Law firm premises and business premises, coupled with the lack of access to Mwaami Kiwanuka, we knew that something was terribly wrong and it left us no option but to go to the Courts of Law for redress, where we remain to-date, as I have a case in the Family court and Jordan is appealing the recent judgement that he received.
I must emphasise that Jordan never went to court to grab his Father’s property, as has been portrayed by my co-wife. He actually went to court very reluctantly and was only driven by the need to protect his Father, me and my 5 children born with Mwaami Kiwanuka, especially after we came into the possession of the medical reports that were included in the suit. It is important to note that the medical examination was done in the presence of my co-wife, Maria and she has been aware of the extent of the condition all this time, and only decided to strike in April 2019, probably on the realisation of our Husband’s rapid decline. His illness is becoming an open secret in this town, and all who know him well, know or suspect that something is amiss.
Two- When my Husband of 43years, who has been known to have two wives and two homes with 8 children between us, got up on National Television and among other things, denied being married to me, and worse still, denied our second child, Jordan Ssebuliba Kiwanuka, is what confirmed our worst fears, that indeed, something is terribly wrong and that He is likely, in rapid decline.
Anyone who knows my Husband well knows that He is very private, media shy and quite reserved. Actually, Jordan takes up similar traits to his Father. So as you can imagine, Jordan and we all, are most uncomfortable with this kind of attention.
So, for Mwaami Kiwanuka to have given the sort of interview that he did, one, broke with tradition for him and was a clear signal to all that know him, that all is not well. As you aware, having been the General Manager of Radios one and two for the period that she has, my co-wife is media savvy and was aware of the damage that this sort of crisis playing out in the media in the manner in which it has, would serve her purposes. This is all right up her alley and out of her playbook.
Isn’t it also curious that after the alleged infidelity, out of which, I am supposed to have fathered Jordan in 1979, Mwaami Kiwanuka went on to father Jordan’s three younger siblings, including our last born, who came in 1994, three years after Maria Kiwanuka’s last child who was born in 1991. Under such circumstances of infidelity, our marriage would likely have ended at that point.
Jordan is the second of Mwaami Kiwanuka’s children and looks a lot like him, which looks have even carried on to Jordan’s children, our Grandchildren. In fact, we are very confident of this fact, that we are very willing to do DNA testing, provided that we are guaranteed that the process will not be compromised, given the reach, influence and resources at Maria Kiwanuka’s disposal.
If, for argument’s sake, Jordan is not his son, and that He was aware of the fact all this time, why, of all his 8 children did he appoint him Company Secretary in 2005 and co-signatory in the latter years? Mwaami Kiwanuka knew and I dare say, still knows that Jordan is his own flesh and blood, unless of course, given what see as rapid decline, has been led to believe otherwise.
It is also important to note that in all these years that we have been married to Mwaami Kiwanuka, myself and my co-wife, Maria Kiwanuka have never been directors in his businesses. She was always just the General Manager of the Businesses and I was a Civil Servant. He has always chosen and preferred to work with his children, his own flesh and blood. So, isn’t it curious that in the very recent past, since between April 2019 and now, especially when my children and I are denied access to him, he suddenly appoints, my co-wife and current minder as Director. And that upon assumption of said Directorship, her first order of business is to cause our Husband to become very harsh and hostile to my children and I, leading him to want to throw me out of my marital home of 31years, throw Jordan out of his work premises where his Law firm is located, throw Jordan and his siblings, my children from their business premises, which Mwaami Kiwanuka on his own volition asked the children to conduct business from these premises? Now my children, especially Jordan are faced with ruin and damaged reputations, potential liabilities from clients who have paid for services in the various businesses, well into 2020. It is this type of hostile behavior that caused my children and I to turn to court for redress, while my co-wife turned to the media to harass us among other things.
Three Anyone that knows my Husband will tell you that He is authoritarian, and that neither us his wives, nor his children could have occupied and used these properties, without his express say- so and permission.
Taking all this into consideration, I have come to the conclusion that this is a direct attack by my co-wife, Maria Kiwanuka on me and my children.
As I mentioned, my co-wife Maria, given her reach, influence and resources has been able to stifle us receiving a fair hearing and assistance and has peddled all manner of falsehoods and lies against my children and I. It is our hope that the false narrative can be reversed and that we can find a peaceful solution to this sad, painful and heartbreaking crisis that our family is faced with.
Beatrice Kavuma Kiwanuka
