State Minister for Lands Sam Mayanja has made a surprising move by expressing his readiness to apologize to Kabaka Ronald Mutebi, marking a significant departure from his earlier confrontational stance towards the Buganda Kingdom.
Speaking with visible emotion during a Land Baraza held in Nkokonjeru Town Council, Buikwe District, on Thursday, Mayanja declared his willingness to “kneel and apologize” to the Kabaka personally.
However, the minister also urged the Kabaka to take action against individuals within the kingdom’s administration whom he accused of abusing their positions.
“I’m prepared to go down on my knees and ask for forgiveness from the Kabaka,” Mayanja said, his voice trembling with emotion.
“But I’ll also urge him to dismiss officials using his name through the Buganda Land Board to carry out illegal evictions.”
Previously known for his public disputes with Mengo over land rights and governance, Mayanja shifted his criticism from the monarchy itself to individuals he described as “self-interested actors” exploiting the Kabaka’s authority for personal gain.
His conciliatory remarks come shortly after the Kabaka’s legal representatives issued a notice of intent to sue the minister for alleged defamation and disregard for court rulings related to the contested Kaazi land, which is legally owned by the kingdom.
The notice references comments Mayanja allegedly made during a March 4 meeting in Kaazi, which were considered disrespectful and in contempt of court.
Despite his softened tone in Buikwe, Mayanja maintained a firm position on halting illegal land evictions.
At the same event, he ordered the arrest of David Kiwanuka, a resident of Ssi-Bukunja, for allegedly evicting tenants from public land under false pretenses of ownership.
“This land belongs to the people. We cannot let anyone use lies or connections to push ordinary citizens off their land,” Mayanja asserted.
Buikwe South MP Dr. Lulume Bayiga urged the Lands Ministry to speed up the issuance of land titles with enhanced security features to combat forgery and land fraud.
Joining the call for reform, District Woman MP and Minister in the Office of the Vice President Diana Mutasingwa criticized unethical practices within the RDC’s office, accusing some officials of working with wealthy individuals to grab land from poor communities.
“Locals are often tricked into surrendering land for titles, only to end up with nothing,” she said, advocating for stronger protection for Bibanja holders.
In response, the newly appointed RDC, Major David Matovu, defended his office’s operations, stressing that current processes are based on transparency and fairness.
The meeting took place against a backdrop of rising tension over land rights and governance, especially in areas with historical ties to the Buganda Kingdom.
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