The reported proposal by the Lady Justice Catherine Bamugemereire Commission into Land matters to abolish ownership rights currently represented by Mailo land tenure continues to attract criticisms from sections of the public.
However the commission that is currently holding public hearings in Tooro denies having issued out such a recommendation but rather urged that the different land tenure systems in Uganda should be fused into one tenure system.
There have been Media reports that the Commission recommended the abolition of the Mailo Land tenure system. The reports have been subject of debate in Buganda where Mailo land tenure widely recognized. Buganda Kingdom officials vowed to fight for its retention saying this tenure system is now synonymous with Buganda culture.
But earlier on some MPs hailing from Buganda region had also vehemently opposed the alleged recommendation by the commission to abolition the land titles.
Nakaseke South MP Lutamaguzi Semakula said this is politically motivated move adding that it has been President Musevnei’s intentions to abolish land titles on Mailo land.
“But he has brought it at a critical time hour when everyone has known is long term intentions for instance his unfair land policies have spoilt the good relationships between Bibanja Holders and landlords, we don’t support it (proposal of abolishing Mailo land titles), we will stand against such schemes brought to finish off Buganda as a region”-Lutamaguzi
For Buganda parliamentary Caucus Chairman and Mukono South MP Johnson Muyanja Senyonga say that as leaders and the people leaving in Buganda region are ready to oppose this proposal.
Senyonga says that Ugandan are expecting a different result from this Bamugereire Commission, they expect to see how best they are going to sneeze people who grab other people’s land because the issue is not about whether Mailo land or Crown land or lease.
“we are interested in how to handle people who take other people’s land illegally but the issue is not about Mailo land, Mailo land is here to stay”-Senyonga
Meanwhile state minister for lands Persis Namuganza appealed to the general public to wait upon government’s pronouncement regarding the matter, since the commission has made several recommendations yet to be discussed by cabinet.
Namuganza said there some many other recommendations by the commission into land matters as contracted by government, but this issue of abolition of Mailo Land is supposed to come to cabinet in form of a white paper to be discussed and later cabinet will shared theirs views with MPs before the proposal is operationalized
“After the processes and procedures, finally cabinet will come up with a legal resolution but right now I would not advise the public of the many recommendation by the Bamugemereire Commission”-Namuganza
