John Baligira

Uganda has been one of Africa’s land conflict-ridden countries since independence. In 1995, the revised constitution provided for all citizens to “move freely throughout Uganda and to reside and settle in any part of Uganda”. This book examines the roots of conflicts in south Bunyoro between the Banyoro (natives) and people from other parts of Uganda since 1962. On the basis of data generated from in-depth interviews and secondary sources, I argue that the issue of citizenship and land rights underlies such conflicts in Africa. This can be traced from the British colonial legacy which tended to institutionalize ethnic entitlements to land rights in particular localities of Africa. I contend that, apart from the colonial legacy, other factors such as the post-colonial regimes’ desire to maintain political power and the exceptional migration of people from the rest of Uganda have worsened the conflicts.