Members of Parliament (MPs) have discouraged government from acquiring land for Bunyoro University at Shs4.9 billion.
The 100 acres of land in question is located in Buhimba Town Council, Hoima City and was offered to government by Dr Henry Wamani, a resident of Hoima on condition that Shs4.9 billion is paid as compensation for his pine tree plantation.
This offer, however, was received with mixed reactions from MPs on the Committee on Education and Sports who interfaced with Bunyoro University Task Force Management Committee on Wednesday, 29 January 2025.
Busia Municipality MP, Hon. Geoffrey Macho, said that the cost of the trees is exorbitant, and advised government to consider looking for fairly priced land.
“A university can be situated anywhere in Bunyoro; we cannot buy trees more expensively than the cost of land” Macho said.
Hon. Michael Kakembo (NUP, Entebbe Municipality) said that whereas the land is purportedly free of charge, government will end up buying it expensively.
“He [Wamani] is telling us the land is free but at the same time telling us to buy his trees. The land is not free and it is expensive,” Kakembo said.
According to the Chairperson of Bunyoro Parliamentary Caucus, Hon. Jacob Karubanga (NRM, Kibanda South County), the offer includes 20 acres which can be accessed for immediate development.
He explained that the 80 acres can be released based on two conditions; if the university can wait for 15 years, until the trees are harvested, government will own the land at no cost, if the land is to be utilised before 15 years, the owner has to be paid Shs4.9 billion for the trees.
“Infrastructure development can take up to 15 years and this land has a free hold type of tenure. It was rated the most suitable piece of land by the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development for hosting the university,” he said.
Hon. Philliphs Lokwang (NRM, Napore West County) however expressed concern over the possibility of Wanani violating the agreement after 15 years.
He recounted a case in Soroti District, wherein he said that a good Samaritan offered land for construction of a school but years later reclaimed his land.
Hon. Margaret Makhoha (Indep., Namayingo District Woman Representative) urged the task force to ensure that the land is titled, giving government ownership.
“Donated land without a title is contentious. We have the willingness to call on government to invest but ownership is important,” she said.
Committee chairperson, Hon. James Kubeketerya, asked the task force to expedite the process of procuring land, saying that a decision to include it in the 2025/2026 budget depends on availability of land.
“The committee says Bunyoro should be given money but the ministry says Bunyoro has no land. Before we handle the Ministerial Policy Statements, we should have heard from you,” Kubeketerya said.
Grace Bantebya, a member of the taskforce called on the committee to urge the education ministry to consider land purchase in the budget, saying that a decision will soon be made by the National Council of Higher Education (NCHE).
“Ministry of Education asked NCHE to assess the land, the report is ready and it will be presented soon. We cannot make any decision without that report,” said Bantebya.
In 2021, President Yoweri Museveni directed the education ministry to establish and operationalise a public university in Bunyoro region.
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