Acholi chiefdom sues govt over 95,000-acre Aswa land
Nwoya MP Tonny Awany (left) with his Kilak South counterpart Gilbert Olanya address journalists after filing the lawsuit against government at Gulu High Court on February 3, 2023. PHOTO/TOBBIAS JOLLY OWINY
What you need to know:
- The chiefdom accuses the government of creating new titles on the land without the knowledge of the leaders.
Acholi chiefdom has sued the government, accusing it of encroaching and grabbing more than 38,446 hectares (about 95,000 acres) of land belonging to communities in Lamwo and Pader districts.
The chunk of land in question neighbours Aswa ranch located in Pader, Gulu and Lamwo districts.
On Friday, the chiefdom filed the lawsuit against the Attorney General and the Uganda Livestock Industries Ltd (ULI), Banuti Ranchers Ltd, ARPE Ltd, and the Commissioner Land Registration at Gulu High Court.
The chiefdom accuses ULI of creating a new freehold title over Aswa ranch for 15,930 hectares in Lamwo District without the knowledge of the land owners, traditional and local leaders, including Lamwo District Land Board.
The chiefdom is joined by 10 MPs under the Acholi Parliamentary Group (APG) in the lawsuit.
Uganda Livestock Industries is accused of creating a new freehold title over the same ranch for 25,516 hectares in Pader District without the knowledge of the land owners and area leaders, including Lamwo District Land Board.
“ULI fraudulently subdivided the freehold certificate of title and created new titles, and then proceeded to lease the land to Banuti Ranchers Ltd and ARPE Ltd (the company currently building the Aswa Hydropower Dam),” the suit reads in part.
Adding: “Banuti ranchers Ltd and ARPE Ltd, having illegally obtained the titles proceeded to evict people from their homes, and to forcefully occupy parts of the land and have embarked on the destruction of the environment such as forests (including the shea trees which is a taboo), and very important cultural sites.”
Through its lawyers of Ladwer & Oneka Advocates, the chiefdom wants court to declare that the conversion of leases over Aswa Ranch land into freehold by the Uganda Land Commission for the four plots both in Lamwo and Pader districts measuring 38,446 hectares, is illegal. They want the same cancelled.
The chiefdom also wants a court declaration that the creation of leasehold titles in favour of Banuti Ranchers Ltd and ARPE Ltd over the land at Aswa Ranch is illegal.
