The cabinet made the right decision
Dec 02, 2005
Letter of the day<br><br>SIR — Cabinet’s rejection of the Mehta Group’s attempts to acquire more land for sugarcane production in Mabira Forest is a commendable decision, especially to the local communities whose land resources and energies had been exploited by that group for the best part
Letter of the day
SIR — Cabinet’s rejection of the Mehta Group’s attempts to acquire more land for sugarcane production in Mabira Forest is a commendable decision, especially to the local communities whose land resources and energies had been exploited by that group for the best part of the last century.
I am one of Mehta’s closest neighbours. Over 35 years ago, while we were in Washington, I approached Mehta about assisting the communities in the area to become out-growers of sugarcane although I was personally interested in tea. He referred me to his managers in Lugazi, who ultimately told me that they were not interested in out-growers’ schemes.
Some years later, one time Kampala Mayor, the late Serwano W. Kulubya, and the late Mayanja Ntwatwa, a Kampala businessman, became sugarcane out-growers adjacent to Mehta, but I am not sure whether they used their own land or were facilitated by the Mehta group.
On the other hand, in the absence of any encouragement or facilitation from the group, the small peasants like us who either aspired or tried to set out as out-growers simply melted away.
Against that background, Mehta does not deserve any more land. Instead, the Government should encourage him to assist the small out-growers. It is indeed a big shame on the part of the Mehta group to be surrounded by such poor and helpless Ugandans who, on their part, have contributed so much to the group’s own prosperity.
The Uganda Investment Authority should ensure that future investors accept community development as one of the pre-conditions for acquiring land leases for their investments.
Jenkins N. Kiwanuka
Kasozi-Waggala
Mukono
SIR — Cabinet’s rejection of the Mehta Group’s attempts to acquire more land for sugarcane production in Mabira Forest is a commendable decision, especially to the local communities whose land resources and energies had been exploited by that group for the best part of the last century.
I am one of Mehta’s closest neighbours. Over 35 years ago, while we were in Washington, I approached Mehta about assisting the communities in the area to become out-growers of sugarcane although I was personally interested in tea. He referred me to his managers in Lugazi, who ultimately told me that they were not interested in out-growers’ schemes.
Some years later, one time Kampala Mayor, the late Serwano W. Kulubya, and the late Mayanja Ntwatwa, a Kampala businessman, became sugarcane out-growers adjacent to Mehta, but I am not sure whether they used their own land or were facilitated by the Mehta group.
On the other hand, in the absence of any encouragement or facilitation from the group, the small peasants like us who either aspired or tried to set out as out-growers simply melted away.
Against that background, Mehta does not deserve any more land. Instead, the Government should encourage him to assist the small out-growers. It is indeed a big shame on the part of the Mehta group to be surrounded by such poor and helpless Ugandans who, on their part, have contributed so much to the group’s own prosperity.
The Uganda Investment Authority should ensure that future investors accept community development as one of the pre-conditions for acquiring land leases for their investments.
Jenkins N. Kiwanuka
Kasozi-Waggala
Mukono