Odonga Otto the Aruu County MP

Acholi sub region Members of Parliament from the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Party have threatened to block the Madhvani project of sugar cane growing in the area over using government to secure land.

In 2008 Madhvani applied for a 49 lease to acquire land to grow sugar cane at lakang village, Amur Sub County in Amuru district.

The Madhvani Group has been entangled in decade-long fight over 40,000 hectares of land in Amuru district, with residents accusing the government and local leaders of conniving with the sugar production giant to dispose  them from their land.

However,MPs who among them was the Aruu County, Samuel Odonga Otto, Gulu district Woman MP, Betty Aol and Kilak  County north MP, Gilbert Olanya  told the media at Parliament  that the Madhvani project of sugar growing is good to the area but that they are opposed to the  method is using to secure the land from the community  is unacceptable. Adding that if the people is neglected the project would be insecure.

Otto says that Madhvani should consult the land owners and get their consent instead of relying on government to use forceful methods to acquire land.

He said that if Madhvani fails to engage the local community to secure the land, as the Acholi leaders they will mobilize them to protect their land.

Otto says that Acholi people will be like that of Busoga who surrendered their land to sugar cane investors and got  a row deal and are now facing food shortage and living in absolute poverty.

He says that the minister for lands, Betty Amongi, is being misled by cabinet on acquiring this land without consulting people yet she could have moved slowly on this matter.

The post Acholi leaders oppose Madhavani land acquisition for sugar cane growing first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Otafire tabled a motion on the floor of Parliament for a resolution under Article 63 of the Constitution to retrospectively prescribe the 76 constituencies .

The criticism follows the tabling of a motion by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Kahinda Otafiire for a resolution under Article 63 of the Constitution to retrospectively prescribe the 76 constituencies which had earlier been designated for representation in Parliament.

The motion, which was tabled, comes after the creation of new constituencies by the government and new MPs being elected to represent these constituencies without Parliament’s prescription and endorsement.

Bugweri County MP Abdu Katuntu castigated the government for operating with impunity saying that Parliament had earlier warned the government about creating the new constituencies without following the right procedure.

Katuntu said that members of the front bench need to do their work correctly and professionally for things to move on smoothly.

Aruu County MP, Samuel Odonga Otto seconded the Motion saying that if MPs have passed laws before retrospectively then they can again as well pass the current one.

“If we passed the Parliament Pension Amendment retrospectively then we can approve this Motion as well,” he said.

Obongo County MP Hassan Fungaroo Kaps said that Parliament had been turned into a place where government’s agenda is extended.

“Parliament risks becoming a rubber stamp if we keep approving the decisions made by government in this manner. That is not acceptable and this should be the last time,” he warned.

Kira municipality member of parliament, Ibrahim Semujju Nganda said that government cannot create constituencies a few days to elections and then later on say it was a mistake.

“I appeal to the government to organize themselves enough and stop blackmailing Parliament,” Semujju said.

Semujju urged the government to start doing its work because Parliament risks looking selfish by doing things in a haphazard manner.

The motion also comes after a city advocate, Andrew Tumusiime, petitioned the Constitutional Court for declarations that the 76 constituencies were not prescribed for and endorsed by Parliament as required by the Constitution.

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