President Museveni Orders Landlords to Halt Illegal Evictions and Return Excessive Rent Fees

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Summary:

• President Museveni also directed the new Inspector General of Police, Abas Byakagaba, to install 18 police officers per sub-county with facilities and link villages to telephones to deal with crime effectively.

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GOMBA: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has directed landlords to stop illegal evictions of bibanja holders and return any excessive nominal rent fees (obusuulu) they have collected, warning that failure to do so will result in arrests.

“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,” President Museveni said.

Speaking at the 35th Heroes’ Day celebrations held on June 9, 2024, at Mpenja Church of Uganda Primary School playgrounds in Gomba District, under the theme “Hail Our Heroes: A Secure Uganda Is Now Reality,” President Museveni noted that the issue of landlords and bibanja holders was resolved in the Constituent Assembly (CA) and 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 requirement was to provide some nominal rent (busuulu), 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 to create a win-win situation, but these landlords don’t listen to the NRM and think it’s a joke,” he emphasized.

In 1995, a new constitution clarified land rights, reinstating private land ownership and stating that land in Uganda belonged to its people. However, President Museveni was dismayed to learn that landlords have been ignoring the agreed nominal fees and evicting bibanja holders.

According to Gomba District LC5 chairperson Mr. Kiviiri Geoffrey, the approved nominal fees paid to landlords is Shs10,000 per year, but landlords have refused such payments, leading to increasing land wrangles. The President said new policies will be put in place to address this.

“Maybe what we have to resolve in the NRM parliamentary caucus is to provide that if landlords don’t accept the rent fees, it should be taken and kept at the sub-county. All this suffering is due to not following the law,” President Museveni directed.

He also asked the Resident District Commissioner for Gomba, Ms. Harriet Nakamya, to record all those under threat of eviction and work on resolving their issues with the landlords.

At the same ceremony, the Minister for Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, Hon. Judith Nabakooba, distributed land titles to 446 people in Kanoni, Gomba, courtesy of the government through the Land Fund.

President Museveni, also Commander-In-Chief of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), highlighted the success of the protracted liberation war of 1981-1986 due to the correct principles of the National Resistance Army/Movement (NRA/M).

“What enabled us to succeed were the correct principles of the NRM. There were other groups which tried to fight but could not manage,” he said.

He explained that the fighters believed in Patriotism, Pan-Africanism, building a new society through socio-economic transformation, and democracy. He also mentioned handling traditional beliefs in a modern way to achieve their goals during the liberation war.

“This was an operational area for UFM and FEDEMO, and Gomba was a corridor for our recruits from the South West to the Luwero area. Even when attacking Kabamba, we passed through Gomba,” he noted.

President Museveni urged leaders to be patient with their people to help them achieve their goals and encouraged Ugandans to fight poverty by embracing the NRM wealth creation message.

“Since 1995, I have been telling you how to get out of poverty with the four-acre model: one acre for coffee, another for fruits, the third for pasture for dairy cows, and the fourth for food crops. If you are near a wetland, do fish farming. All these programs aim to help you implement this model,” he said.

He reiterated his call for Ugandans to embrace government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga to improve their livelihoods.

“With PDM, we are giving Shs1 million per borrowing. If it performs well, we can increase to Shs200 million. Stop listening to those diverting you,” he explained.

President Museveni also directed the new Inspector General of Police, Abas Byakagaba, to install 18 police officers per sub-county with facilities and link villages to telephones to deal with crime effectively.

“Fighting crime in Uganda is very simple now. With 18 policemen per sub-county and proper communication, it is very easy to control crime,” he stated.

The President also promised to meet the veterans’ executive to discuss several issues. Forty-nine distinguished persons were awarded medals for their exceptional contribution to the socio-economic transformation of the country, including 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.

President Museveni also laid a wreath at a hero’s monument in memory of the freedom fighters killed during the protracted liberation war (1981-1986).

The Minister for Presidency, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda, commended the President for his personal sacrifice and commitment to liberate Uganda, noting the historical significance of Gomba District as a resistance corridor.

Hon. Babalanda praised the Prime Minister’s Office through Luwero Triangle under Hon. Alice Kaboyo for empowering war-affected communities and highlighted the discipline instilled in the UPDF under President Museveni’s leadership, benefiting Uganda and the entire Great Lakes region.

The Minister of State for Luwero Triangle/Rwenzori Region, Hon. Alice Kaboyo, hailed the courage of Ugandans who sacrificed their lives for the country’s development and called upon leaders to preach peace and unity for sustained socio-economic transformation.

Hajji Edrisa Ssedunga, the National Chairman of Luwero Triangle War Veterans Association, thanked President Museveni for leading the successful struggle that brought the NRM government to power in 1986, ushering in peace, security, and development. The veterans pledged their support for Museveni’s presidency in 2026 and requested continued support for veterans.

The event was attended by high-ranking officials including Vice President H.E Jessica Alupo, Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Anita Among, Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, and other dignitaries.