New Vision (Kampala)
Ahmed Mukiibi
31 October 2009
Kampala — NRM legislators from Buganda region met President Yoweri Museveni on Friday night at State House Entebbe and agreed unanimously to support the Land Amendment Bill with minor amendments.
"We have assured the President that we shall support the Bill for it's the only remedy against persistent illegal evictions of our poor people," Buganda Parliamentary Caucus chairperson Rose Namayanja told Sunday Vision.
She said some concerns were raised about the Bill during the six-hour meeting and were harmonised. The meeting, which ended at 11:45pm, was attended by Vice-President Gilbert Bukenya, Prime Minister Apolo Nsibambi and over 30 MPs.
President Museveni had called the meeting to harmonise their positions on the Bill before it is tabled for the second reading. Last month some Buganda MPs had threatened not to support the Bill, unless the Government made sweeping amendments.
Buganda MPs wanted clarification on a number of clauses, like the one which grants the minister powers to determine rent (busuulu). They also oppose the restrictions on the grounds under which a landlord can evict a tenant.
The Land Amendment Bill has faced a lot of resistance, mainly from the Buganda Kingdom, which claims the Government wants to grab its land.
Buganda Caucus spokesman Gordon Sematiko Katende said they agreed to support the Bill with some amendments.
"We have agreed to change the period in which the district land board should set the ground rent before the minister comes in from 30 days to 60 days," Sematiko said.
During the Friday meeting, an agreement was also reached on the provision in the Bill which limits the eviction of tenants to failure to pay ground rent.
Sematiko said an amendment would be made to allow legal eviction on other grounds.
Sematiko said MPs also agreed to support the implementation of regional governments as provided for in the Constitution.
However, MPs were divided on whether the regional government, which will be elected next year, will be interim for one year up to 2011 or will serve for five years. Museveni told them that the Cabinet would pronounce itself on that issue.
The President told the Buganda MPs that his relationship with the Kabaka has improved considerably and that they now often have telephone conversations. He also told them that the Kabaka had recently written to him, responding to some of the issues raised during their meeting on September 30, 2009.
The two leaders met after the three-day riots which rocked Kampala and neighbouring districts.
The demonstrations erupted after the Government objected to the Kabaka's visit to Kayunga, said to be for security reasons. A minority group in Kayunga had opposed the visit.
The President also revealed that he will meet the Kabaka this month for another round of talks. A date is yet to be confirmed.
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