Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Uganda Monitor
Published on 2024-04-18 11:35:32
Efforts to establish a seed secondary school in Tororo District have faced a major obstacle due to a dispute over land ownership. The proposed location for the school, the former Nyangole Leprosy Camp land, is being claimed by 37 families who are demanding compensation for their eviction.
The land in question is situated along Kwapa road, bordering a stream in Angorom West village, Aputir Parish in Morukatipe Sub County. The 40-acre piece of land is currently being used by these families for agricultural purposes. They argue that the land was never officially designated as government property and has been in their families for generations.
Historically, the land was donated by community members in the early 1960s to be used as a leprosy camp to treat leprosy patients. After the epidemic, the land was abandoned and not utilized. The claimants took advantage of the vacant land and started using it for agricultural purposes.
Fabian Papa, one of the claimants, emphasized their dependence on the land for their livelihood and insisted on government compensation if they were to be relocated. Another claimant, Constant Omusugu, disputed the official size of the land and demanded compensation before leaving, claiming that the government was exaggerating the land size on paper.
The Morukatipe Sub County LC3 chairperson, Mr. Gerald Omaset, maintained that the land belonged to the government and that the occupants were encroachers. He argued that the history of the land as a leprosy treatment center proved its government ownership. An elder, Mr. James Etuket, acknowledged the land’s history but suggested that the boundaries remained intact, potentially supporting the government’s claim.
The Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Nickson Owole, clarified the government’s position, stating that they do not compensate for illegal land occupation. He offered a compromise of humanitarian compensation for crops planted on the land at the time of construction but not for the land itself. The village council has been tasked with monitoring the land and preventing further development or sales until a resolution is reached.
With both sides holding firm in their positions, a solution needs to be found before construction of the seed secondary school can proceed. The RDC advised the occupants to harvest their crops and sell them to help them purchase land elsewhere, as the government does not compensate for illegal land occupation.
In conclusion, the dispute over the land ownership of the former Nyangole Leprosy Camp is hindering the establishment of a seed secondary school in Tororo District. Both the claimants and the government are at loggerheads, and a resolution must be reached to allow for the school’s construction to proceed.
Read the original article on Uganda Monitor
