Democratic Party President Norbert Mao has said that the Madhavani group of companies ruined their chances of acquiring land for investment in Amuru by engaging government operatives instead of engaging land owners.
Mao was speaking yesterday during a tour of Omee Farming Company Ltd in Amuru district.
“The way the Madhavani Company used the state in negotiating for land here has soiled the word ‘‘investor’’ in Acholi. People in Acholi now know that the word investor is also associated with land grabbing because of the Madhavani past ruthless ways of acquiring land in Amuru district,’’ said Mao who was in the company of Kilak County MP Gilbert Olanya, Nwoya MP-elected Simon Oyet, Amuru LC5 Chairman- elect Michael Lakony, among others.
Mao welcomed the initiative of Omee farm Investment saying it will also attract other investors in Amuru.
‘‘In the past this place used to be a battle grounds,’’ said Mao, in reference to the land on which several hectares of maize has now been grown.
Mao also said government should leave land owners in Amuru to directly negotiate with investors.
Gilbert Olanya echoed Mao’s words saying Amuru residents will never give land to an investor who uses government to acquire land.
According to Olanya, failed to acquire land in Amuru because of using security operatives and Resident District Commissioners (RDC’s).
“The government should be serious if they want to acquire land. Let them come and talk to the landowners. They can also come and negotiate their terms and conditions.”
“We encourage investors not to concentrate only sugarcane. We have learnt from other parts of Uganda like in Busoga; they are only growing sugarcane and the people are poor there. Let us grow other food crops too,” Olanya added.
Omee Farming Company Invest $3.5m
Randy Sohnchen the CEO of Omee farming company Limited says that the begun acquiring the land for the Omee farming Company Ltd from the Ojwang’s family members in 2014.
Randy says that he has so far invested over $3.5 m in the Omee farming Company Limited.
“We are deeply committed in transforming the people of northern Uganda through agriculture and other ways such as health and Education. We believe that we shall transform the people of Amuru and the rest of northern Uganda,” Sohnchen said.
The Omee farm Ltd is about 6,000 hectare and is expected to increase to 20,000 hectares in 2017.
4 Comments
6000 acres to increase to 20,000? “Pole Pole sebu”. Let us see what the 6,000 acres does to the community at Omee. Has Ojwang family been promised any royalty interests? What happens after 49 years will the terms be opened to renegotiation? What happens to fixtures like storage etc incase lease not renewed? Check what is happening in South Africa, Australia (indigenous treatment), Saudi Arabs in Sudan (1 million Acres), Ethiopia in Anywakland (Indians) etc.
“The government should be serious if they want to acquire land”? Lok pa Mao ba …
The whole Acoli community was put in camps by that government because of the land. What more damage do you want?
How are they treating the Aborigines in Australia? We hope for a divine deliverance.
All the whites in Austrailia are British Migrants. Mwuni Biritic aye guwaci myero gilweny matek me mayo ngom pien ngom ber. Gin aye gubedo kacwallo muduko bot ladit lobo. Lutela magang kiwaco botgi ento pe gubedo ki yub me timmo gin mo oyot oyot i ngom. Twon lobo Austrailiya ni myero ngo ma wek mwunu gubin ni ya ni kapwuuro cam i Acoli?
An acre rents at US $70 per rain/crop season in the Canadian Prairies, what is the going rae for the virgin multi-growing season Amuru land? Look at the Combine Harvester, how automated is this farm going to be and what employment opportunities exist for unskilled villagers of Omee? Is the investor using his lease-hold to underwrite/ guarantee his $3M loan? How difficult is it for Ojwang family to put together financial vehicle to open up his land using bank loans and Makerere Uni garduates?