President to restrain landlords on evictions

Wakiso.

NRM presidential candidate Yoweri Museveni yesterday vowed to end the “war” between land lords and tenants and promised to use the Land Fund to stop evictions.

The President, who was addressing a rally in Nakawuka trading centre in Busiro South in Wakiso District, also welcomed Mr Emmanuel Tumusiime, the president of the opposition Forum for Integrity in Leadership party, who opted to support the NRM candidate.

Citing Isaiah 43:18-19, Mr Tumusiime said “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past…”, adding that he had decided to support Mr Museveni because of his capacity to protect peace, his vision in solving the paradox of Africa and that his and Museveni’s destiny is intertwined.

In July last year the Executions Division of the High Court sent Tumusiime to Luzira after he failed to pay a debt of Shs47 million arising from a court judgment that he earlier lost involving a land matter and 25 heads of cattle.

On land evictions, from Mpigi to Wakiso and from Mukono to Kayunga, everywhere Mr Museveni goes particularly in central Uganda, he is greeted by reports of land conflicts between landlords and tenants.
“This kind of war between bibanja people and landlords must be concluded,” Mr Museveni told his supporters at Nakawuka.

“Government is going to put money in the Land Fund to pay the landlords so that the people [tenants] can get land titles,” he said.

He explained that because of prioritisation, his government has not put more money in the Land Fund to deal with evictions since he also needed money in the budget to fix the roads, electricity, schools and hospitals.

Although Mr Museveni in 2008 directed the Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura, to set up a special unit to protect tenants from eviction, this problem did not stop, forcing the NRM leader to turn to the Land Fund to deal with the problem of evictions. To the delight of his supporters, Mr Museveni also warned landlords against illegal evictions.

Promise
He promised to look for the rightful owner of the disputed land in Bendegere in Wakiso District where thousands of tenants face evictions and pay off the landlord. The President also promised to pay the landlords in Mpigi District.

He said he had paid landlords in Ankole, Tooro and Kikandwa in Bulemeezi areas who were threatening to evict tenants. He promised to replicate the same in all the affected areas starting with Bendegere land in Wakiso District.

Mr Museveni, who was addressing his fourth rally in the district in a space of two days, promised to tarmac Mpigi-Nakawuka-Kasaanje-Kisubi road, fix hospitals and extend power to unserved villages in the district.

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