By Aaron Okotel
MBALE CITY
The Minister of State for Lands, Sam Mayanja, on Friday, 29th August, 2025 closed the 2025 land awareness week hosted in Mbale City with a strong pledge to personally respond to the petitions received from land actors, local governments, and citizens.
“I have listened and received a number of petitions from various groups. I pledge to respond to all of them. Not one will be left out,” the official said, his voice firm with resolve.
The week also marked a significant milestone for residents of the Bugisu and Sebei regions, with 1,754 land titles issued.
The 9th Annual National Land Awareness Week was organized by the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development in partnership with the district local governments of Elgon Sub region, and civil society land actors and hosted in seven districts of Elgon Sub region (Manafwa, Mbale City, Bududa, Bulambuli, Sironko, Kapchorwa and Kween) under the theme “promoting land rights and sustainable land use for inclusive and sustainable development.”
The Minister specifically addressed the Kakungulu land issue, a matter of public concern, he confirmed that the government has begun negotiations with the landowners, with the Uganda Land Commission working to establish the size of the land.
He had a clear message for the tenants currently on the land: “I urge the tenants on that land to remain calm and wait for communication from RACC. Whether Kakungulu descendants have titles or not, you are not affected. The land belongs to you.”
He emphasized that Kakungulu did not bring the land with him, and that the land was originally theirs.
Among the petitions delivered to Minister Mayanja were two notable cases highlighting the prevalent land disputes in the region
Land Grabbing in Bwehonge Sub-county, Bulambuli District:
Matingo John, the Chairman LCII of Bwehonge Sub-county, filed a petition on behalf of more than 200 people across four villages.
The petition alleges that individuals, not residents of the area, illegally acquired a leasehold title for over 297 acres of land in 2023. The land, identified as Plot 443 and Plot 444, Block 4 in Nivurambuli, was allegedly acquired through connivance between the alleged land grabbers and members of the current Area Land Committee. The petition names the culprits, a family from a different sub-county called Simo, as the Watera family.
Protracted Dispute in Mbale District:
Nalyongo Pascal Watiti, a resident of Manafwa District, is currently facing two lawsuits in the Mbale High Court over a single land purchase. The disputed property, approximately 12 acres on Busibo Hill, was purchased piecemeal by Mr. Watiti between 1993 and 2016 from a now-deceased vendor. Despite the vendor confirming the sale and full payment to the police before his death, a group of relatives, led by Waluhu James Wapipi, has taken Mr. Watiti to court, claiming ownership. Mr. Watiti asserts that these relatives were not involved in the original agreements and have not presented any evidence of their ownership.
