Kikuube Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Godwin Angalia has expressed serious concern over the rapid rise in land conflict cases in the area, which he says are threatening community security and creating tension.
Statistics from the RDC’s office indicate that about 50 land dispute cases are reported weekly. Angalia attributes the surge to fraudulently acquired land titles by wealthy individuals, population pressure, limited land availability, and unclear land boundaries. The most affected sub-counties include Kyangwali, Buhimba, Kizirafumbi, and Kabwoya.
He says many affluent people, both from within and outside the district, have invaded the area with fraudulent titles, using them to intimidate residents who have lived on their ancestral land since the 1950s.
To curb the problem, the District Security Committee (DSC) has launched extensive sensitisation campaigns aimed at identifying and cancelling all fraudulently acquired land titles.
Angalia adds that the government is working closely with the Ministry of Lands to find lasting solutions, assuring residents that authorities are committed to protecting them from land speculators and grabbers.
Patrick Okwairwoth, the LC1 Chairperson of Rwengabi village in Kaseeta Parish, Kabwoya Sub-County, says several families in his area are on the verge of being evicted by a tycoon claiming land they have occupied for decades. He calls on the government to provide free land titles to safeguard residents’ property.
Nestory Tumwesigye, LC5 Councillor for Kyangwali A, urges the government to do more to protect innocent people in Kikuube and the wider Bunyoro sub-region, particularly as the discovery of oil has attracted land speculators and high-ranking individuals seeking to seize land.
Florence Natumanya, Kikuube Woman MP, stresses that the government should issue free land titles to residents to help them defend their ancestral land. She warns that some land grabbers are linked to senior government officials and have used fraudulent titles to intimidate local communities.
Aseera Stephen, Buhaguzi East MP, adds that many residents are poor and cannot afford to process land titles independently, yet they live under constant threat from grabbers and speculators.
Last year, through the Ministry of Lands’ Systematic Land Adjudication and Certification (SLAAC) program, over 1,000 land titles were issued to Kikuube residents.
The titles were made available at reduced costs, not exceeding 850,000 shillings, giving vulnerable communities proof of ownership and protection against escalating land conflicts linked to oil discoveries.
This initiative provides freehold titles, formalises land rights, and empowers residents to invest in their land, with minimal processing fees supported by the World Bank.
Bunyoro sub-region has seen a surge in land grabbing and disputes, particularly following the discovery of oil and gas, which has drawn speculators and wealthy individuals seeking land. Local leaders and residents have long urged government intervention to protect communities from land grabbers.
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