In my message of September 12, 2008 to the Prime Minister of Uganda I referred to a preference for prevention, because it is less costly in all areas of human activity, than cure.
Land has become the nation’s single most controversial issue in Uganda’s political economy and history. This is the second time the country has been confronted with the land dilemma. The British administration was faced with this challenge at the start of its administration. However, after careful and informed discussions between London and Entebbe, it was definitively decided that Uganda’s land belongs to Ugandans. The British recognized that Ugandans and their future generations have an inalienable right to ownership and utilization of that land. Besides it is the only asset that the peasants, 90 percent of Uganda’s total population, possess. Ugandans should therefore be very careful, especially the executive and legislative branches of government, in applying theoretical advice floating around about how best to utilize Uganda’s land to integrate the country into the global economy and modernize its society. Four proposals to dispossess Ugandans of their land have been made that need sober examination.
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