The planned boundary opening of a disputed 645-acre land in Mpunge Sub-county, Mukono District, was halted on Thursday due to resistance from local residents.
The land in question is claimed by over 10,000 residents as well as the Uganda Land Commission (ULC). Last month, the government announced a boundary opening scheduled for July 11, notifying residents of the date.
However, the event did not proceed as planned. Residents, aggrieved by the lack of consultation, blocked the team of land surveyors from accessing the land.
The residents insisted that no further actions should be taken until the Minister of Lands intervenes to resolve the dispute, expressing their dissatisfaction with being treated unfairly.
Yazid Senkali, a resident of Sanga, criticized the government for not consulting them, pointing out that many residents had secured land titles from the district land board and questioning ULC’s actions without district consultation.
Arthur Akanga, who led the team of surveyors, attempted to calm the situation by explaining that the purpose of their visit was to open boundaries and identify any unoccupied land for government use, assuring residents that no evictions were planned.
“Our presence is not to evict anyone. We have orders to locate free land for government use, leaving the rest to the locals,” Akanga stated.
Residents expressed concerns about losing cultural sites, including burial grounds and historical trees that attract tourists. “On this land, there are cultural sites that are important to us,” said villager Sirage Muwone.
The roots of this conflict trace back to 2021, when Senegalese-American singer Badara Akon Thiam visited Uganda and President Museveni promised him land to build a futuristic city.
