Land Justice or Injustice

Land Justice or Injustice

By D.R.Ruhweza

Recently, I attended the funeral service of my relative. It was a sad event especially in light of the fact that she left three young boys.  I cannot help but think about the challenges of growing without one’s biological mother and the impact this has on the psyche of a child.  Whereas I do acknowledge that some of the challenges of being an orphan can (and have been) ameliorated by having other relatives take over the responsibilities to nurture and raise the child, I couldn’t help to imagine how these young boys would turn out in future.  That however is a story for another day

The second thought that crossed my mind as I watched my relative’s coffin lie still and quietly in the compound (as speeches were being delivered) is the land on which she was going to be laid to rest.  My thoughts trailed to the land question in Uganda generally.  While carrying out research on land justice two years ago, I was made alive to the fact that land and culture are so deeply entwined.  The research report was entitled "Without Land, there is No Living."

According to our research, the young boys who have been left behind by my sister would ideally not inherit the land of their maternal ancestors.  Rather, this patriarchal society expected that the young lads would seek to have a piece of the land that was left by their paternal ancestors.  In cases where the mother had left the father under very unpleasant circumstances, the young boys would remain at the mercy of their maternal relatives, often being chased away as soon as they had reached the age of maturity.  The girl child was and is often not seen as one of those who would benefit from the land of her father whether she was married and had left the home, or not.  This situation is now changing with more and more courts applying the human rights standards to apportion equal share among children in such circumstances.  This doesn’t mean that the conflicts / cultural have now ceased or ended.  The fight is still on.  One success story after another.

As my relative was being laid to rest, I watched as one of my nephews broke down in tears. He was inconsolable.  As the funeral rites settle, it is most likely that he will be raised by his maternal grandmother.  More importantly, as his maternal relatives, may we be willing to let him and his brothers inherit his mother's portion of the land of her father, knowing very well that we have the choice to share this land equally and to leave a legacy of love and human kindness.  This is the land, where she grew up.  This is the land where she played, and danced, and jumped and made merry, and found love and begat her children and is now buried.  This is the land where love has been conquered and forgiveness triumphed.  It has also been the cause of hope and faith in humanity.  We are born to fight for it, till it, own it, share it or give it away. We have the duty to create a legacy of human kindness or else we shall also leave it behind for the others to prowl and quarrel in a vicious cycle of ingratitude and selfishness.

P.S. My musings have not been caused by any conflict or disagreement over this specific land. They are but musings.