Land Policy Creates Tension in Ugandan Oil Region

A Ugandan government policy of giving more political rights to the traditional Banyoro inhabitants of the oil-rich Bunyoro region has led to tensions which may threaten exploration and production activities.

Bunyoro lies alongside Lake Albert, through which runs the oil-rich Albertine Rift.

Last month, the government appointed a ministerial subcommittee to sort out wrangles between indigenous Banyoro tribes and immigrants mainly from densely populated south western Uganda who have been flocking to the oil-rich region in recent years in search of land to settle and farm.
The confirmation of commercial oil reserves in the region in 2006 sparked interest in the region’s land. Since then, immigrants have bought large parcels of land from locals as they seek to profit from the anticipated oil production through compensation and resettlement packages ahead of oil production.

The government has already started relocating pastoralists from Bulisa district, where conflicts over land have led to violent tribal clashes in the past year. Now it wants to evict immigrants who have settled on communally-owned land and forest reserves.

Immigrants will also not be allowed to buy land from locals for at least 20 years and will be prohibited from standing for elective positions in the region to protect the rights of the indigenous population.

Banabus Tinkasimire, a lawmaker from the region, said, however, the government’s move to strip immigrants of their political and property rights violated the Ugandan constitution.

Wall Street Journal (through Google News)