Ugandans have taken to Twitter to share their displeasure with the Yoweri Museveni-led government over the land allocated to Senegalese-American singer, Akon, instead of local investors.
The 1 square mile land gift (about 640 acres) is expected to aid the ‘Locked Up’ singer’s plan to build a city in 2036 that will operate on his Akoin cryptocurrency.
Akon said he had identified the preferable piece of land after being given various options by the government.
He said the city will borrow a lot from a similar project planned in Senegal but didn’t disclose how much it will cost to set up and who will finance it.
The move has since set tongues wagging on Twitter over the neglect of local investors who have ancestral claims but have no land in the country.
Reacting, Rodgers Ishimwe asked, “Don’t we have Ugandans with money that can build a wondrous investment in 1square mile land. It’s all about having reasonable leadership, everything is possible. Akon will not steady Uganda’s weak economy on collapse because of being given free land.”
However, @SonOfTheLand01 thinks that “Those opposed to Akon City are just ignorant. How many Indians, Chinese, Europeans, Americans, and Arab investors have been offered free land here in Uganda? Akon is an African, and cryptocurrency is the future. He is an advocate for pan-Africanism and an unsung hero of Africa!”
Another user Rosebell Kagumire said, “Akon and his dreams of cities named after him on lands of people whose ancestors are buried on that land but have no land is violence!
“Akon’s huge land acquisitions in a country plagued by combined imperialist, capitalist, patriarchal and dictatorial plunder of communal lands leaving millions landless and in poverty is violence!”
In response, @TheOne010101010 said, “Wake up woman… People remain poor due to luck of opportunity… If that city is built people will be motivated and forced to tap into that opportunity. My advice is that you stick to being an entertainment journalist and leave business analytics to those well suited for it.”
Another, identified as Kawalya tweeted, “Akon to be given 1Square Mileofland for free. It would make more sense if the govt gave this same land to 640 youths to do farming with each youth getting an Acre,” Kawalya tweeted.
Meanwhile, @SamsonKasumba wrote, “I listened to Akon speaking and I knew why some people have lots of money and some just don’t. He oozes a positive vibe. The person who asked him a question is trained by a profession that values negativity! He took on that negativity with so much class. Beautiful to watch. Wow.”
@sabitijoseph added that “Akon won’t buy Uganda… We won’t stay in that Akon City… This is too much we can’t allow this disrespect. There are thousands of honest home grown investors in this country who deserve free land more than Akon! Let us stop this Joke!”
But @GumPatrickLuis1 feels that “The problem (is that) our own grown investors want to invest in other countries. Do your research on Amama Mbabazi and thank me later. But again lets have the spirit of Pan Africanism, Akon is an African and there nothing wrong giving him free land. I cry of the Chinese.”
One user, @Judicaelle wrote, “Akon hasn’t even built the city he has (been) talking about in Senegal now he is scamming the rest of Africa.”
However, @KimbowaHenry1 feels that “Akon is African, let him invest if given chance, the so-called home investors only care about their family lineage, but Akon’s investment will cater for all people of all tribe sects..common sense.”
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