Government has officially withdrawn the controversial constitutional amendment bill 2017 which was seeking to enable the government or local government to compulsorily acquire private before compensation.
The motion withdrawing the bill was moved by the deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana on Tuesday and seconded by the prime minister Dr.Ruhakana Rugunda ,minister of security General Elly Tumwine, minister of state for health Sarah opendi and National female youth mp Adeke Ebaju among others
On July 13, 2017, the Bill also known as the Land Amendment Bill seeking to amend Article 26 of the Constitution was read for the first time by Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Gen Kahinda Otafiire and subsequently referred to the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs headed by Jacob Oboth Oboth (West Budama South) for Scrutiny.
Rukutana said that the withdraw is to give government further consultation on this controversial bill.
This caused parliament to grant government permission as requested to take back the bill and it will return when it’s ready.
This was after the Legal Committee its report rejected the bill, saying it is redundant.
“The provisions of content of the bill are redundant since there are similar legal measures in the Land Acquisitions Act that the Government or Local government may utilize to remedy the mischief they intend to remedy by the proposed amendment,” the report obtained by Business Focus reads in part.
It add: “It is important to note that intention of the Bill is to enable Government or a local authority to deposit with Court, compensation awarded by the Government for any property declared for compulsory acquisition as well as to empower Government or local Government to take possession of the declared property upon depositing the compensation awarded for the property with court, pending determination by court of the disputed compensation awarded to the property owner or person having an interest in or right over property.
The Land acquisitions Act, the applicable law as far as land acquisitions are concerned already contains a mechanism to achieve a remedy in a situation where a person or property owner objects s to an award. This remedy is contained in section 6 (5) …”
