Banyoro reject proposed land fund
Mar 15, 2008
THE Banyoro have rejected the Government’s plan to set up a fund to lend tenants money to buy land from the landlords. The Mubende-Banyoro Committee, a pressure group of ethnic Banyoro, said the Uganda and UK governments should instead buy the land and give it to the tenants.
By Josephine Maseruka
THE Banyoro have rejected the Government’s plan to set up a fund to lend tenants money to buy land from the landlords. The Mubende-Banyoro Committee, a pressure group of ethnic Banyoro, said the Uganda and UK governments should instead buy the land and give it to the tenants.
“Making Banyoro peasants borrow money with interest, to pay Baganda absentee landlords who have been milking our land for the last 100 years, is adding insult to injury,†the group said in a statement signed by Henry Ford Mirima, their secretary.
The group said they became squatters on their own land after the colonial government transferred their counties, from Bunyoro to Buganda Kingdom in 1886.
Consequently the Kabaka of Buganda allocated the land to his subjects, but did not evict the original occupants.
After a referendum in 1964, Bugangaizi and Buyaga counties were returned to Bunyoro. However, the Baganda landlords retained ownership of the land. “We are not prepared to buy our land from illegal absentee landlords. It is an insult to Banyoro dignity,†said the group.
The rejection comes at a time when President Yoweri Museveni is wooing Britain to help Uganda establish a fund to enable tenants buy land from landlords.
THE Banyoro have rejected the Government’s plan to set up a fund to lend tenants money to buy land from the landlords. The Mubende-Banyoro Committee, a pressure group of ethnic Banyoro, said the Uganda and UK governments should instead buy the land and give it to the tenants.
“Making Banyoro peasants borrow money with interest, to pay Baganda absentee landlords who have been milking our land for the last 100 years, is adding insult to injury,†the group said in a statement signed by Henry Ford Mirima, their secretary.
The group said they became squatters on their own land after the colonial government transferred their counties, from Bunyoro to Buganda Kingdom in 1886.
Consequently the Kabaka of Buganda allocated the land to his subjects, but did not evict the original occupants.
After a referendum in 1964, Bugangaizi and Buyaga counties were returned to Bunyoro. However, the Baganda landlords retained ownership of the land. “We are not prepared to buy our land from illegal absentee landlords. It is an insult to Banyoro dignity,†said the group.
The rejection comes at a time when President Yoweri Museveni is wooing Britain to help Uganda establish a fund to enable tenants buy land from landlords.