Tororo Councillors Dispute Public Land Allocation to DPP

A growing controversy has hit Tororo District following the allocation of public land to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for the construction of new offices. Located next to Amagoro Court in Tororo Municipality, the contested site is already seeing construction activity despite vehement protests from local leaders over transparency and due process.

District Speaker Eddy Obella revealed that key administrative offices, including his own and the Chief Administrative Officer’s (CAO), were completely sidelined in the transaction. Obella pointed to Section 32 of the Local Governments Act, emphasizing that authority over government property rests strictly with the district council and not the chairperson acting alone.

Although a letter attributed to District Chairperson John Okea claims the council approved the land allocation during a meeting on May 6, 2026, councillors are pushing back. They argue that any legitimate resolution would have been formally communicated through the CAO’s office rather than directly from the chairperson.

The situation escalated when the CAO’s office issued a directive on September 24, 2026, ordering the district engineer and the Resident District Commissioner to halt construction. Despite this directive, building has reportedly continued, leaving local leaders feeling undermined and concerned about the preservation of public property.

Beyond the procedural battle, councillors worry the land giveaway could jeopardize future public projects. Tororo District is currently eyeing the upgrade of Tororo Main Hospital into a regional referral facility, an ambitious venture that will require substantial land resources for expansion.

As the dispute deepens, stakeholders are questioning the validity of the documentation behind the project and why construction works have defied official orders to stop. Read more details in the original report by Nile Post.