A register that keeps records of people who have lost land whether in lawful or dubious circumstances, has today been launched by Food Rights Alliance (FRA), a coalition of 60 civil society organizations (CSOs) that is fighting rampant land grabbing in Uganda.
The launching of the Land Losers’ Register took place this afternoon at the National Museum. Ironically, the launch took place on the museum land which government plans to sell off to a mysterious investor allegedly intent on building a 60-storey commercial plaza.
The register is part of a nationwide anti-land grabbing campaign dubbed Your Land: Your Life aimed at stimulating national debates on land grabs so the public can make informed decisions and free consents on land investments and negotiations in Uganda.
Agnes Kirabo, the national coordinator of the anti-land grabbing coalition, said the register will enable Ugandans to know the extent of land acquisitions, particularly unlawful ones that impact negatively on mainly vulnerable people.
Kirabo said although they are aware of the country’s poor record keeping, it would be meaningful if cases of land grabbing, whether lawful or unlawful, were registered.
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Kirabo said they want Ugandans who have ever lost land to enter their names, adding that those they can follow up they will. She said the most important thing is at least for records of land grabs to be there.
She said landless people become a burden to the whole country because they have to be catered for yet they could have fended for themselves, however marginally, had they been in possession of their land.
Kirabo said they also want the Uganda Bureau of Statistics to begin capturing in its reports cases of land acquisitions and relate them to the socio-economic status of the country.
