Uganda: workers of the Kaweri plantation in Mubende refuse to work on “filthy” land
The Kaweri plantation in the Mubende district is located on the land from which its real owners were brutally evicted. After an assembly of the evictees in Mubende held on 7th January 2008, workers at the dry mill of the Kaweri plantation started a sitting strike. The workers argued that they had heard that the landowners claim their land back. In that case they would hardly benefit from their work due to low salaries that do not allow them to save money. The farm manager told them that he is not in the position to decide upon salary increase but that he would discuss it with the board of directors and give the workers an answer within one week. This answer was negative. As a consequence almost all workers went on a strike on Monday, 21st January.
The evictees in Mubende have not yet been able to retrieve their land nor have they received any other adequate compensation. The strike may be seen as a clear sign that it is not pleasing to work on unjustly appropriated land.
