Uganda: MPs considering constitutional amendment to recognize Maragoli tribe
Published: 10/Feb/2021
Source: The Independent (Kampala)
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee has started considering the Constitutional Amendment Bill seeking the recognition of the Maragoli as one of the indigenous tribes in Uganda.
Kibanda South MP Jack Odur Lutanywa, the mover of the Bill on Tuesday defended the bill before the committee citing the need to amend the Third Schedule to the Constitution to include the Maragoli who settled in Uganda in the 19th century as one of Uganda’s indigenous communities as of 1st February 1926.
The Maragoli community living in Kigumba, Kiryandongo district, Ntoma and other parts of Masindi district are a Kenyan tribe that left their homeland in the 1920’s. Reports indicate that they moved from Kenya after an agreement was reached between the then British colonial government and Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom.
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Chapter three of the 1995 Constitution provides for citizenship under Articles 9 to 19, where it provides for citizenship by birth, adoption, registration and naturalization among others. The Third Schedule to the constitution provides a list of 65 indigenous communities whose members qualify for citizenship by birth because such communities were living in Uganda as of February 1, 1926.
Bufumbira South MP Sam Bitangaro supported the proposed amendment to the Constitution saying that given the time the Maragoli came into the country, they fit into the description of an indigenous tribe. He however wondered why it had taken long to recognize the Maragoli under the Constitution.
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Read further: https://www.independent.co.ug/mps-considering-constitutional-amendment-to-recognize-maragoli-tribe/