UGANDA, Kampala | Real Muloodi News | In a recent media address, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, Minister of ICT and National Guidance, disapproved of individuals who are against the new land reforms on the Mailo system.
He stated, “I completely disagree with individuals with selfish desires who say that this Mailo land system does not need reforms, because we have witnessed more cases of evictions in the central region than any other region in Uganda because of this system.”
Dr. Baryomunsi went on to say that it is the successors of the families who received this land that are illegally evicting poor people that are legitimate occupants. Although he acknowledged “It’s awkward to have one piece of land owned by two people, [the owner and] a tenant and kibanja holder. This is also affecting us as government while compensating people.”
Dr. Chris Baryomunsi said colonialists brought the Mailo land mess. His statements show support towards the land reforms of the Mailo land tenure system.
About the Mailo Land System
Mailo land results from an agreement between the British and Buganda in 1900. In this agreement, the British allocated land to the Buganda Kingdom, even though people were already occupying the land.
In this system, the recognised occupier of the land is a tenant, otherwise known as the kibanja holder (kibanja meaning ‘plot of land’). The kibanja holder is registered on the Mailo land owner’s title certificate according to how much land they occupy. The kibanja holder holds a legal interest in the Mailo land, and must pay rent to the Mailo land owner for the land they occupy. A kibanja holder can also make transfers of their kibanja ownership with consent from the registered Mailo owner.
If the Mailo owner wishes to evict the kibanja holder from their land, law requires them to pay compensation.
Mailo land tenure is predominant in the central and parts of the western region. This complex land tenure system is seen as one major cause of land wrangles. The government hopes that the new land reforms will reduce all this.
The President’s Remarks on Mailo Land
In a speech by His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni during the 32nd heroes’ day celebration, he stated “Mailo land is really very bad and not fair but some people support it. How do you allow these things to happen?”
“Land owners should be entitled to full ownership of their land, like elsewhere in Uganda. In Ankole, nobody can chase you away from your land. You even fear,” the president stated as a reason for land evictions and wrangles. The president’s statements sparked a great deal of speculation in the media, which cumulated in a face-to-face meeting between the president and the Kabaka of Buganda at the Statehouse.
The land reforms of the Mailo land tenure system are to protect the landlords, Kibanja holders, and tenants’ interests.
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