The hall at Kagote SDA School was packed to capacity by residents, local leaders, elders, and religious leaders. During the State Minister for Lands Persis Namuganza’s communication, some people protested by moving out of the hall while those who remained constantly heckled her. Father Pascal Kabura stressed that people were resistant to the Constitutional Amendment on the land acquisition because they had lost trust in the government. “People of Uganda are getting confused who is the government and who are the people who serve the government. When they talk of the government, they think of the criminals; the land grabbers. The NRM government has pronounced itself for distinguishing the government from the criminals, cleaning up then we can regain, the government can regain the trust of the people.” Said, Father Pascal.
John Tigwerize a former CA delegate for Bunyangabo Constituency told the Minister that the government should desist from passing the Constitutional Amendment that benefited a few individuals. He advised that the Constitution should be allowed to stand the test of time. “I feel very biased when you keep repeating what you did because amending the Constitution for the interests of an individual, he may be good today but how about tomorrow when you don’t have someone who Mpenkoni.” Said the former CA Delegate Bunyangabo County.
Butambala MP Muwanga Kivumbi who was also one of the speakers told NTV that it was not proper for the Cabinet to propose such a bill. “The people have resisted this law, they find it severely whiting and lacking in substance, so they did a lousy job as the Cabinet. But that’s the way they go around the public and that’s their usual standard.” Said the Butambala MP. Sylvia Rwabwogo promised that people’s concerns were to be addressed before the bill was tabled again. “The steam will cool down and we come back to the people and tell them that whatever we are trying to do is to protect them, we are not against them. Personally, am not against the people, the Constitution is not going to be touched.”
“What is happening and which we have also seen is that the law was mispresented, and when the law was mispresented there was a lot of gaps in its interpretation. Now that the recommendation is that we draw back the Bill and design it properly and when we finish, we shall come back and tell you but if you again find some issues with it, we shall listen as the government, I have no problem.” Said the State Minister for Lands.
