Museveni awarded champion of land rights as government plans comprehensive land acquisition bill
The National Land Forum brings together civil society organizations like OXFAM, UCOBAC, WORLD VISION, PELUM, FIDA, GIZ and others which do extensive advocacy work on land rights.
The Uganda National Land Forum awarded President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for being a Champion of Land Rights in the executive category of the awards.
The National Land Forum 2022 which kicked off on Wednesday 16th of 2022 was wrapped up on Friday evening with the award-winning dinner where different nominees were recognized.
The awards are part of the National Land Forum and recognize stakeholders who have made exceptional contributions to championing land rights.
The Minister of State for Lands Persis Namuganza highlighted the president’s achievement of handing over customary land titles to eight people in Apac District as he kicked off the government project to issue titles to 275, 000 families and 630 clans in the greater northern region.
Another key player recognized in land matters was the Buganda Land Board which was recognized for championing reforms on mailo land.
According to the National Land Forum, Buganda Land Board has endeavoured to secure the tenancy of people living in the Buganda Kingdom by issuing them with land titles on the land they possess through its programs like Kyapa mu Ngalo.
The Forum also recognized Namuganza as Land Rights Defender Government level, Gilbert Oulanya as Community Land Rights Champion Northern, Christine Kaaya sd Champion of Land Rights at Parliament, Naomi Kabanda as Women’s Land Rights Champion Government level and Uganda Women Parliamentarians Association at the Women Land Rights Champions non-state actors category.
Among those recognized was Eddie Nsamba-Gayiiya in his contribution to research on land rights, Justice Centers Uganda on promoting access to Land Justice, Henry Harrison Irumba on championing legal reforms and Wilfred Babanga, Land Rights Defender Community level among others.
In her remarks, Namuganza reiterated the government’s plan to introduce a comprehensive Land Acquisition Bill.
“This piece of legislation seeks to enable the government to acquire land for its projects without hindrance arguing that some government projects have stalled due to resistance,” she clarified.
The National Land Forum brings together civil society organizations like OXFAM, UCOBAC, WORLD VISION, PELUM, FIDA, GIZ and others which do extensive advocacy work on land rights.
Government agencies like the Ministry of Lands and Urban Development were equally involved in organizing the awards event.
