Land Disputes Take Center Stage at Arua DPP Baraza

A public baraza held in Arua City, intended to address concerns about gender-based violence and land crimes, quickly devolved into a forum for airing grievances about land conflicts. Locals from various areas attended the event, presided over by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Lino Anguzu, to voice their frustrations with the justice system’s handling of their cases.

One resident, Ms. Florence Tiko, shared a decade-long struggle with a missing land case file, emphasizing the threat to her family’s inheritance. Another, Ms. Rose Eyotaru, sought intervention regarding a school built on land she legally won ownership of. The accessibility of the Arua High Court building for people with disabilities was also raised, with the Resident Judge noting that the building predates current accessibility regulations.

Responding to the overwhelming number of land-related issues, DPP Anguzu stated that the passionate concerns highlighted the prevalence of land conflicts. He acknowledged that empirical research supports the view that land disputes contribute significantly to the major crimes the nation faces. Anguzu conceded that these complaints indicate the justice system is not adequately meeting the needs of the local population and called for introspection among all stakeholders in the law and order sector.

Mr. Richard Muhereza, the West Nile regional DPP, added context by noting that out of 355 cases awaiting trial at the High Court, 201 were related to gender-based violence, with many of these violence cases also stemming from land disputes. The meeting underscored the urgent need to address the deep-seated issues surrounding land ownership and legal recourse in the region.

Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/land-conflict-cases-dominate-dpp-baraza-in-arua-5589144