MPs revist land law
Nov 19, 2003
MPs have started re-debating the Land (Amendment) Bill, 2003 with several opposing the President’s proposal to have the minister (lands) retain the power of fixing the maximum nominal ground rent payable to landlords by tenants.
By Joyce Namutebi
MPs have started re-debating the Land (Amendment) Bill, 2003 with several opposing the President’s proposal to have the minister (lands) retain the power of fixing the maximum nominal ground rent payable to landlords by tenants.
The MPs of the committee on natural resources maintained their earlier stand that district land boards throughout the country be given power to do the job because they were well versed with land matters in their localities other than the minister who sits in Kampala.
President Yoweri Museveni refused to assent to the Bill which Parliament passed in June and returned it to the House in September (2003) for reconsideration.
He wanted the maximum nominal ground rent retained at sh1,000. He also wanted sub-section 8 of Section 32 of the Land Act, 1998 to remain part of the Act so that the minister’s power to revise the maximum nominal ground rent every five years by regulations, is retained.
“This is to ensure fairness to both parties and to provide uniformity in the maximum nominal ground rent that can be charged,†Museveni said.
However, Umar Lule Mawiya (Kalungu East), Nsubuga Nsambu (Makindye West), Ken Lukyamuzi (Lubaga South), Daniel Kiwalabye (Kiboga East) maintained that districts were given powers under decentralisation.
They said the minister had no capacity to determine the rent and that the district land boards were in better position to do so because they were nearer the people.
MPs have started re-debating the Land (Amendment) Bill, 2003 with several opposing the President’s proposal to have the minister (lands) retain the power of fixing the maximum nominal ground rent payable to landlords by tenants.
The MPs of the committee on natural resources maintained their earlier stand that district land boards throughout the country be given power to do the job because they were well versed with land matters in their localities other than the minister who sits in Kampala.
President Yoweri Museveni refused to assent to the Bill which Parliament passed in June and returned it to the House in September (2003) for reconsideration.
He wanted the maximum nominal ground rent retained at sh1,000. He also wanted sub-section 8 of Section 32 of the Land Act, 1998 to remain part of the Act so that the minister’s power to revise the maximum nominal ground rent every five years by regulations, is retained.
“This is to ensure fairness to both parties and to provide uniformity in the maximum nominal ground rent that can be charged,†Museveni said.
However, Umar Lule Mawiya (Kalungu East), Nsubuga Nsambu (Makindye West), Ken Lukyamuzi (Lubaga South), Daniel Kiwalabye (Kiboga East) maintained that districts were given powers under decentralisation.
They said the minister had no capacity to determine the rent and that the district land boards were in better position to do so because they were nearer the people.