For years, Augustine Kasozi has been a familiar success story in Mukono, the bustling town just outside Kampala. His flagship businesses—Colline Hotel and Mukono Bookshop—stood out as steady landmarks of local enterprise, representing years of hard work and smart growth in hospitality and retail.
But now, that hard-earned empire hangs in the balance. A recent High Court decision has cleared the path for his properties to be auctioned off to settle a debt of Shs778 million.
Justice Joyce Kavuma, in the Civil Division of Uganda’s High Court, dismissed Kasozi’s urgent plea to block the sale. She awarded costs against him, stripping away the temporary protection he had sought.
The core issue wasn’t just the debt—it was Kasozi’s delay in responding legally. Court documents reveal he waited more than five years before asking to pause enforcement of earlier orders. That long wait proved decisive.
The judge described the delay as “inordinate” and unacceptable, saying it showed a lack of urgency and proper diligence. In Uganda’s courts, requests to halt execution typically hinge on two main things: acting quickly and proving real, substantial harm if the process goes ahead. The court ruled that Kasozi fell short on both.
His lawyers had argued that the real threat only materialized late in 2025, when creditor Magdalene Lamwaka filed a notice to show cause and pushed enforcement forward. But Justice Kavuma rejected that view, pointing out that the law doesn’t require waiting until the last moment—litigants can (and should) seek a stay much earlier if they see trouble coming.
Even more importantly, the court said simply facing an imminent auction doesn’t automatically count as “substantial loss.” The mere risk of losing valuable assets wasn’t enough to meet the legal bar.
The ruling repeated firmly: “The mere fact that there is an imminent threat of execution… is not itself proof of substantial loss.”
Still, Kasozi’s team hasn’t given up. They’ve quickly filed an appeal with the Court of Appeal and asked for an interim order to freeze any auction while the appeal is heard.
Sources close to the case say the lawyers are stressing the bigger picture: Colline Hotel isn’t just bricks and mortar—it’s an operating business that employs dozens of people and supports a network of local suppliers. They warn that letting the sale happen now would cause irreversible damage before the higher court can weigh in.
If the Court of Appeal grants that temporary relief, it could buy precious time. If not, auctioneers could move in within days.
This isn’t just about one loan or one court case. Kasozi built his businesses through bold expansion in sectors hit hard by recent economic headwinds—inflation, steep interest rates, and changing customer habits. Like many mid-sized Ugandan entrepreneurs, he leaned heavily on borrowed money without much cushion for tough times. When payments became harder to meet, the cracks appeared fast.
The troubles run deeper still. Bank of Baroda is separately chasing him for another unpaid loan, also targeting some of the same or linked assets. That fight is already at the Court of Appeal, adding layers of pressure and making any kind of rescue or restructuring much harder.
With multiple creditors circling, questions loom about how much of Kasozi’s portfolio is truly tied up in debt—and whether any part can be saved.
The human cost is already visible. Staff at the hotel and bookshop, speaking quietly and off the record, talk about late salaries and quieter days, hinting that the strain had been building well before this latest ruling hit the headlines.
For the wider Mukono community—tenants, workers, suppliers—the uncertainty feels personal. What happens next could ripple far beyond one business owner.
Whether Kasozi can win a reprieve from the appellate court, strike a deal with creditors, or find another way out remains uncertain. But the High Court’s message is stark: delays in legal action carry heavy consequences, and in the world of business debt and court enforcement in Uganda, time really is unforgiving.
This unfolding story serves as a sobering reminder of the tightrope many entrepreneurs walk—where ambition and leverage can fuel impressive growth, but also leave little room for error when the economy shifts or repayments falter.