Bunyoro wants land for votes
Aug 14, 2009
<li> Settlers ask for protection</li><br><li> No eviction, says govt</li><br><li> Stop debate — activists</li><br><br>THE Bunyoro kingdom has vowed to support only leaders who will address what they term as past injustices in the 2011 elections.
By Henry Mukasa and Pascal Kwesiga
Settlers ask for protection
No eviction, says govt
Stop debate — activists
THE Bunyoro kingdom has vowed to support only leaders who will address what they term as past injustices in the 2011 elections.
“The Banyoro are prepared to go with the leadership that is prepared to correct the historical injustices which were imposed on the Banyoro without due consideration,†the Bunyoro-Kitara kingdom cabinet said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Bunyoro for quite a long time has been carrying the burden of Uganda alone as far as massive immigration is concerned. This is the right time that the influx of massive immigration into Bunyoro is equitably shared nationwide,†the kingdom position paper, signed by prime minister Yabezi Kiiza, added.
The kingdom lamented that, while it was punished by the British colonialists for resisting imposition of their administration, successive governments have not redressed the problem.
It recalled that a big chuck of the kingdom land was given to Buganda by the British.
It also pointed out that the 1964 referendum experiment on the counties of Buyaga and Bugangazi, which was in favour of Bunyoro, was never implemented.
“Now the Banyoro demand the correction of that anomaly. We believe that demanding the return of our land is not sectarian or tribal as some people think,†the statement said.
The kingdom described itself as the most accommodating in the country.
Bunyoro has provided 90 square miles of land for refugees in Kyangwali, accommodated 57 tribes and given refuge to people from the north displaced by the LRA rebellion, it said.
Tension gripped Bunyoro region after the kingdom decided to map out its land and evict illegal occupants.
Matters were not helped when President Yoweri Museveni’s July 15 letter recommended ‘ring-fencing’ political posts for Banyoro as a solution to the area’s political and land rows.
The letter also drew the wrath of the immigrant community, or Bafuruki, who accused him of betraying and abandoning them.
The kingdom in its statement, however, welcomed Museveni’s proposal as “the right initial step towards redressing the Bafuruki question in Bunyoroâ€.
It said Museveni’s stance was in tandem with the Banyoro leaders’ memorandum presented to him on June 15 at State House.
They strongly condemned the response handed to the President by the Bafuruki last week.
“The ideas and wording of the document are clearly contemptuous, insulting, arrogant and misleading. Its implementation would no doubt add fuel to the already volatile situation in the region,†the statement said.
Bunyoro wants the Government to urgently formulate an immigration policy that will help regulate further movements of the Bafuruki to the region and other parts of the country.
“The Government (should) henceforth halt further influx of the Bakiga immigrants into Bunyoro and those settled in forest reserves should be immediately evicted and relocated elsewhere in the country.â€
Meanwhile, the kingdom has denied reports that it had issued a notice to sue the Attorney General, Tullow Oil, Heritage Oil and Gads Company over breach of the 1955 Bunyoro agreement.
The Omukama (king) “did not sanction the issuance of the notice,†the prime minister explained in a separate statement.
Bunyoro has demanded a fair share of revenue from the oil that was discovered in the Albertine Graben of Hoima near Lake Albert.
THE Bunyoro kingdom has vowed to support only leaders who will address what they term as past injustices in the 2011 elections.
“The Banyoro are prepared to go with the leadership that is prepared to correct the historical injustices which were imposed on the Banyoro without due consideration,†the Bunyoro-Kitara kingdom cabinet said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Bunyoro for quite a long time has been carrying the burden of Uganda alone as far as massive immigration is concerned. This is the right time that the influx of massive immigration into Bunyoro is equitably shared nationwide,†the kingdom position paper, signed by prime minister Yabezi Kiiza, added.
The kingdom lamented that, while it was punished by the British colonialists for resisting imposition of their administration, successive governments have not redressed the problem.
It recalled that a big chuck of the kingdom land was given to Buganda by the British.
It also pointed out that the 1964 referendum experiment on the counties of Buyaga and Bugangazi, which was in favour of Bunyoro, was never implemented.
“Now the Banyoro demand the correction of that anomaly. We believe that demanding the return of our land is not sectarian or tribal as some people think,†the statement said.
The kingdom described itself as the most accommodating in the country.
Bunyoro has provided 90 square miles of land for refugees in Kyangwali, accommodated 57 tribes and given refuge to people from the north displaced by the LRA rebellion, it said.
Tension gripped Bunyoro region after the kingdom decided to map out its land and evict illegal occupants.
Matters were not helped when President Yoweri Museveni’s July 15 letter recommended ‘ring-fencing’ political posts for Banyoro as a solution to the area’s political and land rows.
The letter also drew the wrath of the immigrant community, or Bafuruki, who accused him of betraying and abandoning them.
The kingdom in its statement, however, welcomed Museveni’s proposal as “the right initial step towards redressing the Bafuruki question in Bunyoroâ€.
It said Museveni’s stance was in tandem with the Banyoro leaders’ memorandum presented to him on June 15 at State House.
They strongly condemned the response handed to the President by the Bafuruki last week.
“The ideas and wording of the document are clearly contemptuous, insulting, arrogant and misleading. Its implementation would no doubt add fuel to the already volatile situation in the region,†the statement said.
Bunyoro wants the Government to urgently formulate an immigration policy that will help regulate further movements of the Bafuruki to the region and other parts of the country.
“The Government (should) henceforth halt further influx of the Bakiga immigrants into Bunyoro and those settled in forest reserves should be immediately evicted and relocated elsewhere in the country.â€
Meanwhile, the kingdom has denied reports that it had issued a notice to sue the Attorney General, Tullow Oil, Heritage Oil and Gads Company over breach of the 1955 Bunyoro agreement.
The Omukama (king) “did not sanction the issuance of the notice,†the prime minister explained in a separate statement.
Bunyoro has demanded a fair share of revenue from the oil that was discovered in the Albertine Graben of Hoima near Lake Albert.