Mengo accepts review of Land Bill
Feb 18, 2008
Mengo yesterday welcomed the Government’s stand to review the proposed Land Bill and to consider the kingdom’s proposals.
By Josephine Maseruka
Mengo yesterday welcomed the Government’s stand to review the proposed Land Bill and to consider the kingdom’s proposals.
“The fact that the Government is willing to review the Land Bill and to consider our proposals is welcome. It confirms what we have been saying all along that the law was bad, unfair, rushed and not necessary,†said Apollo Makubuya, the kingdom’s Attorney General, while addressing the Lukiiko (Buganda parliament).
Makubuya assured the Government that Buganda was not opposed to President Museveni or the NRM government. “What we are interested in is the federal system of governance, the return of all the kingdom assets that were confiscated by former president Milton Obote and to have laws that don’t undermine our interests.â€
He cited 10 reasons why the kingdom was opposed to the original bill, including the section which gives the minister powers to determine ground rent where the land board fails to do so, and the fact that a person in their view only need to claim an interest in the communal land to be protected.
“We begin to have hope when we hear that the President and his government officials have accepted that there are a number of loopholes in the land bill which must be removed if the new law is to be applicable.â€
Museveni on Saturday met members of the Buganda parliamentary caucus at State House, Entebbe, and went through the technical committee’s draft report on the Land Bill, which highlighted shortcomings.
Museveni commended the report, which was compiled by J.B. Kawanga. While opposing some of the views, the President said other suggestions would be considered in the amendments.
Makubuya also attacked Prime Minister Apolo Nsibambi for accusing him of inciting the Baganda against him.
“Imagine, a whole mature Prime Minister to attack me at Namirembe Cathedral after the church service. This is absurd, especially when Prof. Nsibambi is a renowned Muganda who knows well what the Baganda cherish. His behaviour is of someone who has turned shame into anger. He must apologise.â€
Presenting his 18-page plan of action, Katikkiro (Buganda Prime Minister) J.B. Walusimbi said he wanted a ‘fundamental change’ and turn Mengo into a result-oriented government.
He vowed he would ensure that the prime land of the Mengo Palace and the Kasubi Tombs was fully developed, to the advantage of the kingdom and Baganda.
He proposed to leave 50 acres of the palace for the Kabaka’s official residence, administrative block and other cultural functions, while the remaining 170acres would be developed through joint ventures with accepted investors.
He also said the 64-acre Kasubi Tombs land, where four of the kingdom’s late kings are buried, would be developed into cultural income-generating projects, similar to those of Sun City in South Africa.
He proposed to build four resource centers that would center on Buganda’s royal heritage, the 52 clans and their respective cultural roles.
“Whether we like it or not, the world is developing at a supersonic speed. We cannot leave such big chunks of prime land idle. It is up to the Lukiiko members to popularise this development programme among our people.â€
Ssebaana Kizito, the DP chief, supported Mengo’s stand to continue demanding from the Government the return of all kingdom assets, including the 9,000 square miles.
He argued that the land was meant for Buganda’s future generation that missed out on land allocation in the 1900 agreement. “Museveni’s retaining of the land means depriving the peasants of their rights which he fought for. This is the landless generation it was meant for,†he noted.
Mengo yesterday welcomed the Government’s stand to review the proposed Land Bill and to consider the kingdom’s proposals.
“The fact that the Government is willing to review the Land Bill and to consider our proposals is welcome. It confirms what we have been saying all along that the law was bad, unfair, rushed and not necessary,†said Apollo Makubuya, the kingdom’s Attorney General, while addressing the Lukiiko (Buganda parliament).
Makubuya assured the Government that Buganda was not opposed to President Museveni or the NRM government. “What we are interested in is the federal system of governance, the return of all the kingdom assets that were confiscated by former president Milton Obote and to have laws that don’t undermine our interests.â€
He cited 10 reasons why the kingdom was opposed to the original bill, including the section which gives the minister powers to determine ground rent where the land board fails to do so, and the fact that a person in their view only need to claim an interest in the communal land to be protected.
“We begin to have hope when we hear that the President and his government officials have accepted that there are a number of loopholes in the land bill which must be removed if the new law is to be applicable.â€
Museveni on Saturday met members of the Buganda parliamentary caucus at State House, Entebbe, and went through the technical committee’s draft report on the Land Bill, which highlighted shortcomings.
Museveni commended the report, which was compiled by J.B. Kawanga. While opposing some of the views, the President said other suggestions would be considered in the amendments.
Makubuya also attacked Prime Minister Apolo Nsibambi for accusing him of inciting the Baganda against him.
“Imagine, a whole mature Prime Minister to attack me at Namirembe Cathedral after the church service. This is absurd, especially when Prof. Nsibambi is a renowned Muganda who knows well what the Baganda cherish. His behaviour is of someone who has turned shame into anger. He must apologise.â€
Presenting his 18-page plan of action, Katikkiro (Buganda Prime Minister) J.B. Walusimbi said he wanted a ‘fundamental change’ and turn Mengo into a result-oriented government.
He vowed he would ensure that the prime land of the Mengo Palace and the Kasubi Tombs was fully developed, to the advantage of the kingdom and Baganda.
He proposed to leave 50 acres of the palace for the Kabaka’s official residence, administrative block and other cultural functions, while the remaining 170acres would be developed through joint ventures with accepted investors.
He also said the 64-acre Kasubi Tombs land, where four of the kingdom’s late kings are buried, would be developed into cultural income-generating projects, similar to those of Sun City in South Africa.
He proposed to build four resource centers that would center on Buganda’s royal heritage, the 52 clans and their respective cultural roles.
“Whether we like it or not, the world is developing at a supersonic speed. We cannot leave such big chunks of prime land idle. It is up to the Lukiiko members to popularise this development programme among our people.â€
Ssebaana Kizito, the DP chief, supported Mengo’s stand to continue demanding from the Government the return of all kingdom assets, including the 9,000 square miles.
He argued that the land was meant for Buganda’s future generation that missed out on land allocation in the 1900 agreement. “Museveni’s retaining of the land means depriving the peasants of their rights which he fought for. This is the landless generation it was meant for,†he noted.