Museveni explains his radio land campaign

He wondered why the relevant government Ministries and organs were not taking appropriate action against them.

The President made the remarks on Monday at the Voice of Kigezi FM radio station in Kabale Municipality at the start of his nationwide tour that will see him address the nation on several matters of national importance with emphasis on land matters.

Museveni, who was accompanied by the Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, the Attorney General, William Byaruhanga and other leaders from Kigezi Region, said that the level of falsehood associated with the opposition politicians and the Ugandan media, has reached an unprecedented level that is forcing him to take it upon himself to come out to demystify and expose them so that Ugandans can know, for the good of their country, the kind of people they are.

Starting with the falsehoods associated with the proposed amendment to the land law, Museveni wondered why anyone who is for the development of Uganda, would say that the amendment aims at grabbing land from Ugandans.

He explained that it is the National Resistance Movement Government, through the 1995 Constitution, that legislated to give land to Ugandans by stating that “land belongs to the people” as opposed to the old law which said that “land belongs to the government”.

He, therefore, wondered how the same government could legislate to grab land away from the same people whose rights it always protects and defends.

“We are the only country in the region and may be in the world, who legislated to give land to the people; otherwise elsewhere, land belongs to government,” he explained.

Museveni explained that although the existing law allows government to acquire land in public interest, some citizens either stubbornly or due to corruption and collusion with civil servants, have been rejecting government compensation, engaging government in protracted legal battles that result in delaying the implementation of crucial government development projects and programmes.

I have arrived in Kabale for a radio show on Voice of Kigezi, to explain the land question. pic.twitter.com/wJ1sQVymUD

— Yoweri K Museveni (@KagutaMuseveni) September 4, 2017

Citing several road and electricity projects that have stalled due land owners’ rejection of government compensation or seeking unfair compensation, Museveni said that the proposed amendment to the land law is meant to ease government acquisition of land for only the development of public infrastructure such as roads, the railway and electricity.

He added that the acquisition must be done after compensating the landowner.

Museveni assured his listeners that government is even proposing several other avenues where a discontented land owner can reach out for an appeal in order to receive justice and fair compensation but at the same time ensuring that the public good goes on without losing time.

READ: Understanding land acquisition challenges Page 2