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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has asked Members of Parliament to support proposed amendments to the Land Act.
Museveni’s request was communicated by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja to Chairpersons, Deputy Chairpersons, and different regional whips of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party in parliament. This was during a meeting at the Office of the Prime Minister on Wednesday during their training workshop.
According to Nabbanja, the President in his message to the MPs talked about the proposed amendment to the Land Act saying that the law should be amended so that bibanja owners can pay their busulu at sub county in case the landlords or their agents are not available.
She also said that the President is concerned about money lenders who make people sign land sale agreements before advancing them loans.
The President’s appeal comes two days after he held a closed-door meeting with the Kabaka of Buganda Kingdom at Nakasero State Lodge on Tuesday.
In a press conference at Bulange-Mengo after the meeting, the Katikkiro declined to disclose what the two leaders spoke about.
On Saturday, at his 28th Coronation anniversary held at Nkoni Palace in Lwengo district, the Kabaka criticized people seeking to abolish the mailo land system saying that such actions by the government are aimed at weakening the kingdom.
Kabaka said land being the biggest asset of the kingdom, whoever targets it is targeting the very existence of the kingdom.
His statement came at a time when tensions are in the kingdom following revelations by the government that it intends to table an amendment to the land tenure system to among others abolish the mailo land tenure system which is most prevalent in Buganda.
The kingdom has already indicated that they will resist this amendment.
The Tuesday meeting is not the first time that the Kabaka and President Museveni have met whenever there is contention between the government and Mengo. Following the 2009 Buganda riots that cost the lives of more than 30 people, Museveni and Mutebi met to iron out their differences that started when the government stopped the Kabaka from going to Kayunga district, which is considered part of Buganda.
In 2013 too, Mutebi and Museveni signed an agreement to cease hostilities against each other.
The government also undertook to return most of Buganda’s assets that were expropriated after the abolition of kingdoms in 1966.
Nabbanja also said that the President’s communique asked MPs to focus on advancing laws that support environmental protection and also fight corruption.
Nabbanja asked the committee chairpersons to deal with corrupt officials who have tarnished the NRM party, which the opposition has used to discredit the government.
She added that the government is also embarking on a process to expose corruption to Opposition led accountability committees saying that many legislators use their positions to amass wealth.
“We are now coming for them also. Let us all say zero tolerance to corruption. And if we do this, the public will regain confidence in us,” Nabbanja said.
Museveni also advised MPs to always create time for their constituencies and working with the people to help them eradicate poverty.
In response to Nabbanja’s statement, Government Chief Whip Thomas Tayebwa pledged to rally NRM MPs to support the President’s directive.
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