MPs Reject Free Bunyoro University Land Over Shs4.9B Tree Compensation

Members of Parliament have opposed the government’s plan to acquire 100 acres of land for Bunyoro University in Buhimba Town Council, Hoima City, citing a Shs4.9 billion demand for compensation of a pine plantation.

Dr. Henry Wamani, a Hoima resident, offered the land on condition that the government either waits 15 years for the trees to be harvested or pays for them immediately.

The proposal sparked debate in the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Sports on Wednesday, with MPs arguing that the condition makes the land too costly.

Busia Municipality MP Geoffrey Macho criticized the offer, calling the tree valuation excessive. “A university can be situated anywhere in Bunyoro; we cannot buy trees more expensively than the cost of land,” he said.

Michael Kakembo, the Entebbe Municipality MP, dismissed claims that the land was free. “He [Wamani] is telling us the land is free but at the same time telling us to buy his trees. The land is not free, and it is expensive,” he said.

However, Jacob Karubanga, Chairperson of the Bunyoro Parliamentary Caucus, defended the offer, explaining that the Ministry of Lands had deemed it the most suitable site for the university. He emphasized that 20 acres were immediately available, with the remaining 80 to be handed over after 15 years unless the government paid for the trees.

Other MPs raised concerns about future ownership disputes. Philliphs Lokwang of Napore West County warned that Wamani could renege on the agreement, citing a similar case in Soroti where donated land was reclaimed.

Margaret Makhoha, the Namayingo District Woman Representative, stressed the need for legal ownership. “Donated land without a title is contentious. We have the willingness to call on government to invest, but ownership is important,” she said.

Committee chairperson James Kubeketerya urged the task force to finalize land acquisition quickly to ensure Bunyoro University is included in the 2025/2026 budget. “The committee says Bunyoro should be given money, but the ministry says Bunyoro has no land. Before we handle the Ministerial Policy Statements, we should have heard from you,” he said.

Grace Bantebya, a member of the task force, asked MPs to push for funding, revealing that the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) had completed an assessment and would soon release a report.

In 2021, President Yoweri Museveni directed the Ministry of Education to establish a public university in Bunyoro, but land acquisition remains a key obstacle.