Petition filed as over 40 families face eviction in Kwania land feud
A piece of land in Uganda. Land wrangles are common in the country. REPRESENTATIONAL PHOTO
What you need to know:
- Land conflicts are a growing concern in Uganda.
More than 40 households in northern Uganda's Kwania District have petitioned authorities to intervene in a land dispute they say threatens to displace them from land they've occupied for decades.
Residents of Atuma Village, Acaba Parish in Nambieso Sub-county, allege that a Lira City-based businessman is attempting to forcibly evict them from 290 acres of customary land.
They claim the land was secretly sold by two individuals, Christopher Abai and Jimmy Emmanuel Okello Ecun, without community consent.
The petition, delivered last Friday to the Kwania Resident District Commissioner (RDC), accuses the businessman’s agents of issuing threats and offering inadequate compensation in exchange for voluntary departure.
“We have lived on this land since birth and raised our families here,” said Dickens Opio, the lead petitioner.
He added: “Government should come and save us from these land grabbers.”
James Olwe, a father of seven, said he legally purchased a portion of the land from Abai 15 years ago.
“Now someone is asking me to sign for compensation for only my house, not the land itself. I refused,” he told Monitor on Monday.
Another resident, George Okweny, warned of potential abuse of power. “These people are well connected and have money. We fear they will manipulate the justice system to remove us,” he said.
Okello Ecun, one of the accused, denied wrongdoing, saying the land was sold legally following a settlement with his brother.
He blamed political opponents for stirring up tension. “Some politicians want to use this land issue to taint my name because I’ve declared interest in contesting for the Kwania LC5 seat,” he said.
Kwania District Chairperson Geoffrey Alex Ogwal Adyebo urged calm, assuring residents that no evictions would be allowed without community dialogue. “We shall hold a meeting with all parties to resolve this amicably,” he said.
Land conflicts are a growing concern in Uganda, where over 80% of land is held under customary tenure.
A 2020 report by Uganda Land Commission indicated a spike in disputes, often involving powerful individuals acquiring land in rural communities without clear consent.
