The former Minister without Portfolio Hajj Abdul Nadduli has cautioned President Yoweri Museveni not to dare tamper with Buganda Kingdom’s mailo land tenure system since it may land his government into trouble.
During an interview with TMO YouTube channel on Monday, the former bush war veteran warned that Museveni and his government should not spark anger into Buganda people. He says such anger will not be easy to control.
Nadduli added the Mailo land tenure system has been part of Buganda’s culture and property since 1900 agreement and any person or system trying to remove it, is directly attacking the eye of the kingdom.
“This move is deliberately going to cause hate to us NRM members. That is why I’m calling on all MPs from NRM to be strong and tell president Museveni the effects of tampering with the cultural land before it gets worse,” Nadduli said.
“Museveni is not a Muganda to feel sorry for us and secondly it’s not only in Buganda where people are chased from the land. Ankole, Arua and Lango have the same problem why can’t he first settle land problems from there or it’s also Mailo land’s problem?” the former minister wondered.
Nadduli also asked President Museveni to first consult Buganda leadership because they are the owner and can explain to him in verbatim instead of relying on rumours.
The Mailo Land Tenure System is where land is registered and owned in eternity or perpetuity with its holder having a land title for it. This system in Uganda has its basis from the allocation of land pursuant to the 1900 Buganda Agreement, subject to legislative qualifications. It is mainly confined to the Central region. The system confers freehold granted by the colonial government in exchange for political co-operation under the 1900 Buganda Agreement.
However, according to President Museveni, the mailo land system is evil ans its one of the main causes of land problems in Uganda.
“Mailo land system is really very bad and not fair but some people support it. How do you allow these things to happen? Landowners should be entitled to full ownership of their land like elsewhere in Uganda. In Ankole, nobody can chase you away from your land. You even fear. In Buganda, they have so many actors with each one saying this and that and it’s all against a small person. We shall see what to propose including on the issue of absentee landlords.”
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