Constitutional Amendment Bill to the Article 26 of the Uganda Constitution

A constitutional amendment bill has been tabled before Parliament with the primary aim of overhauling the Constitutional Right to Protection from deprivation of property (Article 26). The alleged objective of the amendment is “to resolve the current problem of delayed implementation of Government infrastructure and investment projects due to disputes arising out of the compulsory land acquisition process.”1 “Avocats Sans Frontières” (ASF) and Advocates for Natural Resources Governance and Development (ANARDE) are two partner Civil Society Organizations engaged in the promotion of social justice, Rule of Law and legal empowerment of Uganda citizens. In light of the lessons learnt in our on-going activities of legal assistance to communities affected by land deprivation, we anticipate that great challenges for the protection of constitutional rights will arise if the bill passes.