Legislators get Land amendment bill
Jan 14, 2008
MPS have received copies of the controversial Land Amendment Bill for study. The copies were submitted to Parliament by the lands minister, Omara Atubo.
By Mary Karugaba
MPS have received copies of the controversial Land Amendment Bill for study. The copies were submitted to Parliament by the lands minister, Omara Atubo.
According to sources, the copies were given to MPs from Buganda and others strongly opposed to the amendements to the Land Act. The Bill is yet to be tabled in Parliament for the first reading.
According to the Government, the Bill is aimed at amending the Land Act to enhance the security of occupancy of the lawful and bona fide occupants on registered land.
The Government argues that whereas the Land Act provides that the lawful and bona fide occupants enjoy security of occupancy on the land, there have been wide spread evictions of tenants.
The Bill states that a lawful or bona fide occupant shall not be evicted from registered land except upon an order of eviction issued by a court only for non-payment of the annual nominal ground rent.
It adds that if a person attempts to evict or participates in an eviction without a court order is liable to imprisonment not exceeding seven years on conviction.
But Buganda Kingdom has rejected the Bill, arguing that the Government wants to grab their land.
Meanwhile MPs from Buganda region will meet the Vice-President, Gilbert Bukenya, today at Parliament to discuss the Bill. The MPs have vowed to reject the Bill in case Bukenya has “called us to convince us to accept the Government’s stand.â€
Betty Kamya (FDC) said: “If Bukenya is going to talk as a government messenger, we shall fight him.â€
MPS have received copies of the controversial Land Amendment Bill for study. The copies were submitted to Parliament by the lands minister, Omara Atubo.
According to sources, the copies were given to MPs from Buganda and others strongly opposed to the amendements to the Land Act. The Bill is yet to be tabled in Parliament for the first reading.
According to the Government, the Bill is aimed at amending the Land Act to enhance the security of occupancy of the lawful and bona fide occupants on registered land.
The Government argues that whereas the Land Act provides that the lawful and bona fide occupants enjoy security of occupancy on the land, there have been wide spread evictions of tenants.
The Bill states that a lawful or bona fide occupant shall not be evicted from registered land except upon an order of eviction issued by a court only for non-payment of the annual nominal ground rent.
It adds that if a person attempts to evict or participates in an eviction without a court order is liable to imprisonment not exceeding seven years on conviction.
But Buganda Kingdom has rejected the Bill, arguing that the Government wants to grab their land.
Meanwhile MPs from Buganda region will meet the Vice-President, Gilbert Bukenya, today at Parliament to discuss the Bill. The MPs have vowed to reject the Bill in case Bukenya has “called us to convince us to accept the Government’s stand.â€
Betty Kamya (FDC) said: “If Bukenya is going to talk as a government messenger, we shall fight him.â€