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President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has directed landlords to stop illegal evictions of bibanja holders.
He also ordered them that whoever has excessive nominal rent fees (obusuulu) to return it to bibanja holders immediately or risk being arrested.
“The landlords who have been charging more than the agreed busuulu fees by the district must return it back, and if they try to evict our people, we shall arrest them. You must pay back all the money you have taken from these people and the evictions are illegal,” H.E Museveni said.
Speaking at the 35th Heroes’ Day celebrations held on 9th June, 2024 at Mpenja Church of Uganda Primary School playgrounds, Mpenja Sub-county, Gomba District, under the theme: “Hail Our Heroes: A Secure Uganda Is Now Reality”, the President said the issue of the Landlords and bibanja holders was resolved in the Constituent Assembly (CA) and also in the Land Act of 1998.
“We said a landlord has no power to evict a kibanja person especially the one who was on that plot of land (Kibanja) by 1983. The only thing was to provide some nominal rent (busuulu) and that was to be fixed by the district land boards. The landlords must accept what we agreed in 1995 because Idi Amin had actually abolished mailo land but we restored ownership in order to allow a win-win situation, but these landlords don’t listen to the NRM and they think it’s a joke,” the President emphasised.
It should be remembered that in 1995, a new constitution was established, and land rights were clarified, which stated that the land in Uganda belonged to its people, and reinstated private land ownership. President Museveni was however dismayed to learn that landlords have decided to ignore the agreed upon nominal fees paid by the bibanja holders on their land and are going ahead to evict them.
According to Gomba District LC5 chairperson, Mr. Kiviiri Geoffrey, the approved nominal fees paid to the landlords is Shs10,000 per year but landlords have refused such payments leading to the increasing land wrangles in the area. The President said new policies will be put in place to safeguard this.
On the other hand, 49 distinguished persons were awarded medals for their exceptional contribution towards the socio-economic transformation of the country.
Among the awardees was Sheikh Mohammed Bin Maktoum Bin Jumah Al Maktoum from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) who received a distinguished Order of the Crested Crane 1st Class Medal. He is a businessman and a member of the Dubai Royal family.
