By Our Reporters
NORTHERN UGANDA
The people of Tai-Ocot village are caught in an escalating land battle, one that threatens to uproot families and fracture a community built on trust, tradition, and shared history. More than 65 families’ widows, children, and elderly farmers—face imminent eviction, despite multiple rulings affirming their right to remain on their ancestral land.
Tai-Ocot has long been home to the Parakono, Gen, and Koch clans, but it has always been a place of open settlement. Decades ago, elders fostered strong friendships, welcoming new families to reside in harmony. This spirit of unity is now under siege as Rwot Ogenga John Obita, chief of the Koch Clan, pursues a claim over 2,000 acres, land that residents say is not his to take but rather part of a shared legacy spanning generations.
Residents argue that Ogenga’s true motive is to sell the land to an investor, permanently displacing rightful occupants while disregarding legal and traditional rulings.
The fate of Tai-Ocot was seemingly settled in 2012, when a council of five chiefs, led by Rwot Ajao, ruled decisively that the Koch family had no legitimate claim to the land. They confirmed that Ogenga’s great-grandparents, particularly Ajan, were ordered to leave Tai-Ocot formerly known as Lalur-Yika over 80 years ago.
The ruling detailed how Ajan’s behavior and growing cattle numbers led to conflict within the village. Under the leadership of Bang-Kal, the community decided to ask Ajan and his family out, forcing them to relocate 10 kilometers away where he lived his life and buried.
They resettled peacefully, and for decades, there was no attempt to reclaim the land until 2012, when families returning from internment in displacement camps were suddenly met with a fresh land dispute initiated by Justo Obita. The matter was settled by the five chiefs, confirming that Ajan`s family had no moral or customary right to repossess the land.
Despite this ruling backed by legal and cultural consensus Rwot Ogenga refused to concede, allegedly using political influence to have the case reopened in the lower courts of Kitgum. This manipulation of judicial processes has sparked fears among residents that the system is bending in favor of those with power.
“This is not justice. If a leader can overturn a ruling by the chiefs, what stops others from grabbing land elsewhere?” asks Dominic, a village elder. “Where is our protection?”
Among the most vulnerable are widows, orphans, and struggling families who have lived on this land for decades. For them, eviction would mean losing not only their homes but their security, dignity, and survival.
Mego Joska, a widow raising five children, wipes away tears as she voices her fear.
“I have nowhere else to go. My husband is buried here, my children were born here. How can someone just take our home away?”
Another widow, Alanyo, relies entirely on her small farm to feed her children. Losing it would mean disaster.
“This land is all we have. If they take it, we have nothing left. How can greed come before people’s lives?”
Even the children feel the uncertainty gripping their village. Opiyo, an 11-year-old orphan, grips his grandmother’s hand, trying to comprehend why they might lose their home. “We haven’t done anything wrong. Why do they want us to leave?”
For many, this land dispute is no longer just about territory, it is about whether justice can withstand power and corruption. Ogenga’s continued push for ownership threatens customary law and traditional conflict resolution, the backbone of Acholi society, where land is sacred and elders have always settled disputes fairly.
Residents fear that if Tai-Ocot falls, it will set a dangerous precedent proving that settled disputes can be undone by force, money, or political manipulation. “This is not just about us. If they take our land, tomorrow it will be someone else’s,” warns Christine, a young mother. “We are fighting for justice for all us.”
The residents of Tai-Ocot Village are making an urgent appeal to Uganda’s top leaders, demanding immediate intervention in their land dispute against Rwot Ogenga, chief of the Koch Clan. Despite multiple legal and traditional rulings affirming their right to remain, over 65 families including widows, children, and elderly farmers face imminent eviction as Ogenga allegedly seeks to sell 2,000 acres to an investor.
As the head of Uganda’s Judiciary, Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo is urged to ensure fairness and transparency in the judicial process. Residents fear that political influence is being used to manipulate court proceedings, reopening a settled dispute despite the 2012 ruling by five chiefs led by Rwot Ajao.
“We ask Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo to protect the integrity of our courts. If rulings can be overturned by power, then no Ugandan is safe,” says Okello Dominic, a village elder.
As Uganda’s Minister of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa is responsible for protecting land tenure security and ensuring customary land rights are upheld. The people of Tai-Ocot urge her to intervene and prevent illegal displacement.
“Minister Nankabirwa, we beg you to stand with us. If this land is taken, we will have nowhere to go,” pleads Mego Joska, a widow raising five children.
Hon. Okin P.P Ojara, the Member of Parliament for Chua West County, Kitgum District, is known for his advocacy on land rights and governance issues. The residents call upon him to amplify their voices in Parliament and push for urgent intervention.
“Hon. Okin, we need your leadership now more than ever. Help us fight for our land before it is too late,” urges Okot the LC 1 of Tai Ocot.
Hon. Beatrice Anywar, the Minister of State for Environment, has long been an advocate for land and environmental protection3. The residents urge her to take a stand against land grabbing and ensure environmental justice.
“Minister Anywar, you have fought for Uganda’s forests now fight for our land. We need your voice,” says Alanyo, a mother of 7 children.
The LC5 Chairperson of Kitgum, Christopher Arwayi, holds a crucial role in local governance and land administration5. The residents call upon him to defend their rights and ensure local government intervention.
Tai-Ocot’s residents demand the Inspector General of Government (IGG) to launch a full investigation into alleged judicial manipulation and possible abuse of power in the land dispute.
They further request the State House Monitoring Team to take keen interest in the matter, ensuring that government authorities uphold the rule of law and protect vulnerable citizens.
For Tai-Ocot’s residents, this battle is not about wealth or politics, it is about home, history, and survival. Losing their land would mean losing everything. They are not asking for favors; they are demanding justice. “If our leaders won’t protect us, then who will?” pleads Lamaro Ayaa, holding back tears. “We are crying for help. Let someone hear us before it is too late.”
The voices of Tai-Ocot cannot go unheard. Justice delayed is justice denied.
Despite overwhelming evidence that the land does not belong to the Ajan`s family, Rwot Ogenga a man feared for his political influence has refused to accept defeat. He is allegedly involved in efforts to overthrow Rwot David Acana II, the Acholi Paramount Chief, signaling deeper political tension in the region.
Ogenga’s relentless pursuit of selling off ancestral land demonstrates a betrayal of leadership values choosing profit over community well-being, while widows, orphans, and farmers watch in despair.
Tai-Ocot now stands at a crossroads whether truth and law will triumph over greed and power, or whether the vulnerable will be forced from their homes.
Their plea for justice remains, as they fight not just for themselves, but for all rural communities at risk of losing their land.
