news 18 September 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Uganda-South Sudan Border Dispute: Fertile Land Fuels Decades-Long Conflict
A decades-long territorial dispute over the fertile Gwere Wano-Abaya land, which straddles the Uganda-South Sudan border, continues to fuel conflict between communities, disrupting farming and livelihoods. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/piece-of-land-pitting-south-sudanese-against-ugandans-5599868
The lush, fertile expanse of Gwere Wano-Abaya, a vast area of over 1,000 hectares, is more than just prime agricultural and grazing land; it’s a persistent flashpoint between Uganda and South Sudan. This territory, cutting across Lefori and Moyo sub-counties, has been the epicenter of a territorial dispute that has simmered for decades.
For the local communities who rely on this land for their sustenance, the border is not merely a line on a map but a source of ongoing tension. Farmers diligently cultivate their crops and tend to their livestock, activities that have been recurrently marred by violence, displacement, and property destruction.
The conflict, which has spanned generations, has seen communities on both sides of the ill-defined border suffer from attacks and their farming activities significantly disrupted. The lack of a clear demarcation has allowed the dispute to fester, leaving residents in a state of uncertainty and vulnerability.
Daily Monitor’s observations in late August revealed the lived reality for those inhabiting this contested region. The verdant landscape, ideal for both agriculture and livestock, stands in stark contrast to the underlying instability caused by the unresolved territorial claims. The dispute highlights the human cost of border disagreements, impacting the daily lives and economic well-being of ordinary citizens.