By Mulengera Reporter
Veteran city lawyer, Silver Adowa Owaraga, son to the late Eng. G.W. Owaraga, a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works and Transport and one of the engineers who constructed Entebbe International Airport, has come out to defend his name after years of what he describes as sustained harassment by his sister, Norah Owaraga.
Adowa, 64, who is the eldest of 19 children and the heir to his father’s estate, says the false accusations from Norah have not only tarnished his name but also cost him major career opportunities which he believes this were deliberately sabotaged through negative media campaigns allegedly fueled by Norah, who at the time worked with Radio One.
For years, Adowa has been organizing a cycling tournament in Pallisa in memory of their father’s legacy, an event that had attracted support from various quarters, including the national cycling regulatory council. However, Norah has since brought these efforts to a halt, accusing Adowa of pursuing hidden agendas.
She has also publicly questioned his parentage, claiming he is not their father’s biological son and therefore has no moral authority to organize such an event.
The late Eng. Owaraga left behind several properties spread across Uganda, in Entebbe, Bunga, Mbale, Pallisa and other places. Among the properties at the center of the family wrangles is a house in Entebbe, Kiwafu, which Norah claims she jointly owned with their late father.
However, when contacted by this publication, she could not clearly explain how she came to be listed as a co-owner.
Family documents and testimonies show that Norah was only allowed to live in the house to care for the late during his last days, after a family meeting had (in minutes seen by our reporter) resolved that rent collected from the late’s commercial properties be used to fund his treatment and welfare.
The same meeting had also agreed to hire a nurse and, due to Norah’s unmarried status, Adowa suggested she could stay with their father and help care for him. Although the late initially resisted the idea because of past disputes with Norah, he later gave in after persuasion from other family members.
Norah was also allowed to operate her NGO, Canadian Physicians for Aid & Relief (CPAR), from one of the Entebbe properties, but with the understanding that she would pay rent. She reportedly paid only for a few months, then stopped and began mistreating the late Owaraga whenever he followed up on the payments.
Adowa has also dismissed claims by Norah that he sold off key family properties including land in Tororo, a ranch in Nakasongola, and a plot in Buziga. He clarified that the family never owned any property in Buziga, challenging Norah to present details of the said property; the Nakasongola ranch was co-owned and sold with the knowledge of their father while he was still alive, and the Tororo land was sold by their father himself. Sale documents seen by us confirm these transactions.
Tensions between Norah and other family members have existed for years, and in one case, while the late was building a kitchen at his Pallisa home, Norah reportedly stopped the construction and demolished the structure, claiming the land was hers.
Family members say the land was never transferred to her and that this incident deeply hurt the late who ended up fainting, contributing to his reluctance to have her care for him in Entebbe.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, one of the late’s widows, Juliana Tukei, commonly known as Mama Teacher, reportedly, travelled from Pallisa to visit her ailing husband. She told our reporter that she was embarrassed and chased away by Norah for visiting without her permission, forcing her to seek shelter at a stepdaughter’s home (still in Entebbe) for a week.
Since the passing of Eng. Owaraga, efforts to manage his estate have stalled. Norah has reportedly blocked every attempt to move forward, insisting that the will was forged, despite a forensic report confirming the authenticity of the thumbprints and signatures.
The will, which has circulated among various family members, consistently shows the same information, yet Norah continues to reject it without naming who she believes forged it.
Family members also accuse her of prioritizing her mother, who separated from the late over two decades before his death, and trying to ensure that most of the estate goes to her mother and full siblings.
According to the will, Norah’s mother was allocated land and a house in Mbale, making her the biggest beneficiary among the widows.
It has also emerged that when the late passed on, the family still owed the hospital UGX 7 million, which money was available on the late’s account, which Norah had access to, but she reportedly refused to release the ATM card, forcing the family to borrow money to retrieve the body.
During the period when she was handling the card, it is said she misused funds meant for the late’s medical care, and in one case, Norah reportedly said she had used UGX 2 million to buy eggs for Mzee, in just two weeks.
The conflict has affected not only family unity but also stalled any efforts to develop or protect the estate. It is also said that due to her influence, Norah has caused the transfer of at least three (3) District Police Commanders (DPC) in Pallisa District.
To this day, the estate of the late Eng. G.W. Owaraga remains unmanaged, as family wrangles rage on. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
