Kampala — MENGO and MPs from Buganda region yesterday agreed to form a joint committee to study the contentious Land (Amendment) Bill 2007 so as to come up with a common position.

They also agreed to forget their political or other differences and seek a common ground that would protect the people likely to be affected by the law, according to Mengo information minister Charles Peter Mayiga in a brief to journalists.

The Bill was tabled in Parliament on Tuesday amidst protest by some MPs who threatened to block it, saying the Bill was uncalled for as there were existing laws that can ably address land evictions if correctly effected.

Mayiga added: "We have had hard-liners in Government and at Mengo. At times bad language has been used but we have agreed that we should avoid such tendencies, respect each other and have good will to forge a common ground."

The well-attended meeting in the Bulange boardroom was chaired by Katikkiro John Baptist Walusimbi and addressed by Buganda Attorney General Apollo Makubuya. He took the MPs through the kingdom's 10-points of concern on the Bill.

Walusimbi called the MPs after they requested to meet him to be briefed on the kingdom's stand on the bill. They also plan to meet President Museveni.

Mayiga said they had a cordial discussion and the new committee would identify the bad sections in the law and come up with other options.

Foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa, state minister for defence Ruth Nankabirwa and state minister for youth James Kinobe were present.

The MPs included John Kawanga, Elias Lukwago, Nabilah Ssempala, Peter Mutuluuza, Betty Kamya, and Sarah Nansubuga.

Mayiga said: "We all regretted the rampant evictions of tenants and agreed that they must be stopped and the culprits be punished."

Makubuya wondered for how long Buganda kingdom would demand the return of 'ebyaffe' like the 9,000sq miles, the land belonging to the traditional county and sub-counties, among others.

He also expressed concern over the 'Balaalo'.

However, Kutesa said Mengo was acting in a sectarian way by referring to the Bahima of Mawogola as 'Balaalo'

He argued that it was the Baganda that found the Bahima in Mawogola.