When President Museveni visited Lusanja where hundreds of families lost their property due to land eviction. This is not Mailo land
NEWS EDITOR
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PUBLIC has agreed with Retired Supreme Court justice Prof. George Wilson Kanyeihamba how it is suicidal for the government to abolish private Mailo land tenure system interpreting it as a launch of a fight against the Kabaka and Ugandans who pay allegiance to Buganda King.
According to hundreds of comments on Kanyeihamba’s story this news website published a week ago, we have received emails and sms showing how public wants government to stop hiding it’s head under the sand and instead address the causes of land conflicts, land grabbing and evictions which they very much know and leave Kabaka’s land alone.
Prof. Kanyeihamba who is also, 1995 Constitution draftsman had a media interview on land matters in which he strongly advised President Museveni to drop his campaign against Private Mailo land, else it will cause him problems.
The Kabaka of Buganda owns chunks of Mailo land and his subjects refer to him as Landlord.
An attempt to abolish private Mailo is seen as a plot to take away Kabaka’s land which public say, will not allow.
Justice Kanyeihamba brought it to the president how it’s dangerous and unconstitutional to abolish Mailo land tenure system which has become culture, not only of Baganda but of Uganda.
“Please president Museveni, don’t embarrass us, leave us to stay peacefully on Mailo land. We are all Kabaka’s people and we love him so much.” Said Prof. Kanyeihamba who is a tenant on Kabaka’s land in Buziga and proudly pays land rates (Busuulu) to his land lord, His Majesty Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II.
Of recent, President Museveni has been campaigning for the abolishment of Private Mailo Land tenure system saying it’s the major cause of land conflicts and he wants land to be owned by the government.
Justice Kanyeihamba who is a senior constitutional lawyer has laughed off the President saying he is just looking for what will take him out of power, let him not be misled by the corrupt who want free land, Mailo land is here to stay.
Commenting on this exclusive interview published by News Editor news Website, hundreds were positive to Kanyeihamba’s analysis. Click and read this story: ‘DROP UNPOPULAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST MAILO LAND OR IT WILL TAKE YOU OUT OF POWER’, SENIOR JUDGE WARNS MUSEVENI
The editor has picked some responses to Justice Kanyeihamba’s story. Please read on:
■ Fredrick Ntege (frericios@gmail.com): This was a great enlightenment of what we need to uphold as Ugandans regardless of region we originate. Because today its affecting Buganda and tomorrow it will come to haunt others. I believe Justice Kanyeihamba and many others like him if there was any chance tfor them to keep alive for the next 15years, they would help restore the discipline, rule of law and also bring back what has been stolen from us by the Juntas.
■ Jonas Tumukunde: Prof. Kanyeyimba is very right. Buganda land Should remain the way its. We have no problem with that.
■ Enock Bahereza: The land question is well answered by Prof. kanyeihamba.
■ Milton Turyareeba (miltonturyareeba@gmail.com): The land question was debated fully by the Consitituent Assembly (CA) in 1994 having consulted the population across the country widely. Mailo land where majority live on especially in Buganda have no problem. If government wants land for any development, adequate compensation should be given to the affected person or organisation and then government owns that land. I don’t think that Mailo land is what brings these massive evictions. Land should remain owned by the people.
■ Ayebare Mellisa (abemanyisa@gmail.com): Its hypocricy to abolish mailo in central Uganda and compensate omugabe/ Barigye in 2000 with over 4bn at the time for less than 100acres (information accurate and verifiable from ULC) in Mbarara, Bushenyi as of 2000 then for what our king had in value for squattered land there. Why cant this be the case in Buganda??
■ Yasin Ssentamu (0773574085): Mr. Museveni should use rational intelligence not feelings on land issues. I am a Muganda living in Ankole (Bushenyi) where no body, I think can accept their land to belong to the government. I wonder also, what is government? Let the Mailo land issue be put under referendum.
■ Pascal Imarach (0752327092): My father migrated from Teso to Buganda in 1943. I was born in the 70s and we have lived in Buganda as Kibanja holders peacefully until of recent when Government indirectly catalysed land grabbing. Land grabbing was in Bunya, Bugiri district and other parts of Uganda. Is there also Mailo land tenure system? Please, government should instead fight corruption in its systems and leave alone Mailo land. Treat all Ugandans equal and the war should be on corruption.
■ Ambrose Kabogoza (0782372309). I come from Nansana. Gorvenment to abolish mailo land, it needs total changing of Uganda laws.
My view, if Government is to own land, let landlords be left with 25% of their land.
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