A video shared online is stirring heated debate after showing a tense exchange between Kabaka Mutebi’s subjects of and Sam Mayinja, a minister in President Museveni’s government.
The incident happened during a public event, where Mayinja shamelessly attacked Kabaka Mutebi, accusing him of trying to take public land and claim it as his own.
In the video, Mayanja can be heard saying, “That is the truth, and my friend, if you don’t want to hear the truth, that is the truth,” while addressing Kabaka Mutebi’s subjects.
The video has now sparked a debate on social media, especially on Twitter, with many people questioning why Kabaka Mutebi was treated like that.
Recently, State Minister for Lands Dr. Sam Mayanja has disputed the legality of the deals and memoranda of understanding his boss Gen Yoweri Museveni has been entering with the Kabaka of Buganda regarding land and other properties which Buganda claims to be hers.
In his latest media missive, Mayanja (famous for harbouring anti-Mengo sentiments) asserts that Traditional Rulers (Restitution of Assets and Properties) Act Cap 247, enacted on the eve of the Kabaka’s July 1993 coronation, is an invalid law which can’t be the basis for Buganda to lay claim on a number of properties including public land and buildings housing central government installations.
Mayanja asserts that the 1993 Act isn’t only unconstitutional but is also ambiguous in a multiplicity of ways. That because the Act is unconstitutional, all the concessions Mengo has been squeezing from Gen Museveni, basing on the same law, are a nullity.
Dr. Mayanja illustrates his point as follows: “The 1962 Public Lands Ordinance transferred all crown land to the Controlling Authority to be held as public land on behalf of the crown. The controlling authorities were the Uganda Land Commission, the Buganda Land Board, boards of other Kingdoms and the District Land Boards. Buganda Land Board was, therefore, the controlling authority over public land and not the private land of the Kabaka.”
He asserts that it was an anomaly for the 1993 Act to compel the government to return to the Kabaka land or property that were never his personally but public land or property under the provisions of the 1967 Constitution. Following the 1966 abolition of Kingdoms, Buganda inclusive, all land that DLBs and BLB previously controlled became Uganda Land Commission as the subsequent 1967 Constitution vested the same under ULC.
For the 5 years (1967-1971) it constitutionally existed, BLB held and managed all public land in Buganda including the 9,000 square miles (akenda) and all the official Mailo. That this was for the benefit of the people of Buganda and not the Kabaka as a person.