| dc.description.abstract | This research was about the relationship between land rights and the right to cultural identity,
looking at the policy available on land and culture and whether the policies are sensitive of the
specific issues of vulnerable ethnic groups; and largely the effect of land on the right to cultural
identity. The research was guided by four objectives: to examine and contextualize the concept
of land rights among the Basongora community; to assess the policy frame work available for the
protection of the Basongora community; to investigate the forms of vulnerability of the
Basongora community; to analyze the cultural identity of the Basongora community and its level
of enjoyment. The research used both qualitative and quantitative approaches, although the
qualitative was dominant. The study was descriptive, cross sectional and case study design and
the study area was Kasese District in the area of Busongora South, Busomgora North and
Bukonjo East constituencies and Kampala District. The study population was the Basongora and
a sample of 138 people was selected to participate in the study.
The major findings of the research were that Land rights are a necessity because land is a source
of livelihood to Basongora although such rights are not wholly enjoyed by the community since
they are not allowed access to their ancestral land (QENP which was gazzeted in 1952 ); Culture
is significant for Companionship and reproduction thus cultural identity ought to be upheld as a
right; policies are ambiguous since they are difficult to interpret for the general public of
Uganda, unrealistic to the Basongora community, and that often, the Basongora are not consulted
or called upon to participate in decision making processes even on issues that affect them, a case
in point being the National Land Policy for Uganda of 2013 and its drafting process. The study
recommends that authorities allow them to access the Park land for pasture during particular
seasons of the year especially during the dry seasons; land use policy; need for a clear definition
of who minorities are, under Article 36 of the constitution (Uganda, 1995) | en_US |
