The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has vowed to revive the ‘my land campaign’ the party officials say is aimed at deterring the ‘massive grabbing of land by business entrepreneurs and government officials’.
The ‘anti-land grabbing exercise’ was announced by the FDC in May this year but had stalled due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’, a senior party official speaking on condition of anonymity, told the EagleOnline.
However, addressing the media at FDC party headquarters in Najjanankumbi, Deputy Secretary General Harold Kaija said the party is going to revive the exercise and then use its structures to resist ‘the agents of poverty, unemployment that have turned Ugandans into beggars’.
Last week a bill to debate the compulsory acquisition of land for infrastructure development projects in lieu of payment was tabled in Parliament, drawing strong criticism from very many Ugandans.
Mr. Kaija disclosed that the party had collected mobile phone numbers of all MPs and published them on social media in a bid to deter the lifting of the presidential age limit.
“At least every member has received a call from his constituency barring him/her from supporting the amendment of article 102 (b) of the Constitution,” he said.
The contentious bill on land came in the wake of reports that Parliament was also about to debate the amendment of the Constitution to remove the age limit cap, another thorny issue that has given rise to heated debates across Uganda.
“Amending Article 26 of the Constitution where the governments wants to acquire people’s land and without pay and Article 102 (b) about lifting the presidential age limit can only be compared to terrorism,” Mr. Kaija said.
Giving an example of the Shimoni land that was taken under the pretext of building a hotel, Mr. Kaija said: “Since then nothing has been put up.”
Meanwhile, the FDC Chief Electoral Commissioner Dan Mugarura Bakaaki has officially called urged aspirants for the party presidency to pick nomination forms for the exercise beginning July 14 to August 15.
The nominees are supposed to pay a non-refundable fee of Shs 5m, produce a National ID and FDC party card, with 20 supporters including four from all the four regions of the country.
