Low turn out at Lyantonde seminar
Apr 16, 2008
IT was a blame game as the sensitisation seminar on the Land (Amendment) Bill for Lyantonde district nearly flopped after registering few participants.
By Ali Mambule and Dismus Buregyeya
IT was a blame game as the sensitisation seminar on the Land (Amendment) Bill for Lyantonde district nearly flopped after registering few participants.
The LC5 chairman, Fred Nayebare, blamed lands ministry officials for frustrating the programme by informing the leaders on the last day.
“The participants do not know about the seminar. We only learnt of it this morning (Tuesday) yet this is a very sensitive issue and our people have been waiting for information on it for a long time,†he said. “I do not see any sense of discussing the land bill amongst a few individuals. Let us arrange another day.â€
The chairman urged President Yoweri Museveni and lands minister Omara Atubo to punish the people who were supposed to coordinate the programme in the area.
The meeting had been scheduled for Salama Shield Community centre.
However, an opinion leader, Kigozi Mukasa, blamed the deputy resident district commissioner, Joyce Rugasa, for causing the flop by blocking the Mengo sensitisation committee from speaking to the people on the Bill.
“What is the difference then? Why should they call us to listen to their lies when they prevented the Mengo committee from giving us their side of the coin?â€
Early this year, security officials prevented the Mengo team, led by DP spokesperson Betty Nambooze, from addressing residents at Lyantonde town centre.
After making a call to the lands ministry in Kampala, the chief facilitator, Robert Mbaziira, insisted that the seminar proceed with the few people present.
“Do not blame me. I am only a facilitator but I assure you that we shall be back here for a similar seminar,†he said.
The few participants supported Bill, saying it would prevent massive evictions.
IT was a blame game as the sensitisation seminar on the Land (Amendment) Bill for Lyantonde district nearly flopped after registering few participants.
The LC5 chairman, Fred Nayebare, blamed lands ministry officials for frustrating the programme by informing the leaders on the last day.
“The participants do not know about the seminar. We only learnt of it this morning (Tuesday) yet this is a very sensitive issue and our people have been waiting for information on it for a long time,†he said. “I do not see any sense of discussing the land bill amongst a few individuals. Let us arrange another day.â€
The chairman urged President Yoweri Museveni and lands minister Omara Atubo to punish the people who were supposed to coordinate the programme in the area.
The meeting had been scheduled for Salama Shield Community centre.
However, an opinion leader, Kigozi Mukasa, blamed the deputy resident district commissioner, Joyce Rugasa, for causing the flop by blocking the Mengo sensitisation committee from speaking to the people on the Bill.
“What is the difference then? Why should they call us to listen to their lies when they prevented the Mengo committee from giving us their side of the coin?â€
Early this year, security officials prevented the Mengo team, led by DP spokesperson Betty Nambooze, from addressing residents at Lyantonde town centre.
After making a call to the lands ministry in Kampala, the chief facilitator, Robert Mbaziira, insisted that the seminar proceed with the few people present.
“Do not blame me. I am only a facilitator but I assure you that we shall be back here for a similar seminar,†he said.
The few participants supported Bill, saying it would prevent massive evictions.