By Joel Mugabi
Democratic Party (DP) has pledged support for Buganda Kingdom in its fight to block the abolition of the mailo land system. Months ago, President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni proposed that the mailo land tenure be abolished to grant people full ownership of the pieces of land on which they live and work, and reduce land grabbing and wrangles.
But Mengo, through its Prime Minister Charles Peter Mayiga, told off Museveni and argued that the Mailo land system was not responsible for the country’s land problems. Instead, Mayiga urged Museveni, government should focus on dealing with powerful and armed land grabbers, strengthening the police land protection unit, cleaning up corrupt land offices and giving land issues a priority in courts of law
In his Eid Al-Adha message to his subjects last week, Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II urged Muslims to ask God to protect Buganda’s properties from enemies who wanted to grab them.
Most Baganda subjects have expressed their dissatisfaction with the proposal. And now, the Kingdom has received support from DP in its fight against the proposed amendment.
“Upon that, we wish to communicate our dissatisfaction with the move by government intended to tamper with the established land management system in Buganda, the Mailo land tenure system,” said Bukoto Central MP Richard Ssebamala. “In whatever manner it shall be presented, we wish to commit ourselves that we shall stand on the side of the people of Buganda and such areas where uncouth alterations may occur.”
Speaking at the DP Campaign Command Center along Balintuma Road in Kampala today, Ssebamala also delivered the party’s position on the Covid19 lockdown. DP demanded a comprehensive plan to ease the lock down, and prevent further Covid19 case upsurge.
The party also demanded answers on the promise by government to buy radios for every household to allow students keep learning via radios even during lockdown times. DP further blasted government for levying a new tax on data, instead of putting in place friendly policies that would promote internet use, adoption and integration in education.
“It’s coming to two years down the road but the good idea [of purchasing radios for each household] has not yet seen light. Perhaps corruption should have made the idea have a still birth,” said Ssebamala. “Government should begin considering strongly other options of study other than physical attendance of classes, at least for the next two or more years because nobody knows when we shall be out of the pandemic and yet our children have to study.”
MP Richard Ssebamala.
On the installation of digital tracking devices into all vehicles, DP raised questions on the capacity of the Russian company awarded the contract after it emerged that it had faced bankruptcy litigations back in Russia. Ssebamala swore that DP would fight the move to track vehicles, arguing that it was an invasion on Ugandans’ privacy.
