UGANDA, Nebbi | Real Muloodi News | During the third Council of Chiefs meeting held at Jukia Hill in Nebbi Municipality, Alur King Philip Olarker Rauni III issued a crucial decree to curb sale of kingdom land by clan chiefs.
This decree arrived in response to the ongoing issue of unregulated and rampant land sales to investors and businesspersons, often facilitated by clan chiefs.
These transactions have surged in land disputes and conflicts within the Alur Kingdom.
King Olarker expressed deep concern that the very chiefs responsible for safeguarding kingdom land are involved in its illegal sale.
He emphasised the need to halt this practice immediately. Despite prevailing high poverty levels, he emphasised that the chiefs and their subjects must refrain from selling their land, which he regarded as their most valuable asset.
“I want all the chiefs to prioritise the protection of land in their areas. I understand that many of us are living in poverty, but my duty as the king is to ensure the protection of all my people and our land, which is our primary source of livelihood,” stated Olarker.
Widespread land grabbing has been observed in various areas within the Alur Kingdom, including Opano Panyigoro in Pakwach Sub County, Pakwach District, Padolo, Agule, and Acer in Nebbi District, and Patera in Atyak, Zombo District.
Vincent Ochaya Orach, the Deputy Prime Minister of Alur Kingdom, attributed the chiefs’ involvement in land transactions to the high poverty levels, explaining that investors have exploited their financial situation to acquire land.
The Alur Kingdom is a hereditary traditional institution situated in northwestern Uganda and the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
In Uganda, the Alur people primarily reside in the districts of Zombo, Nebbi, Pakwach, and certain parts of Arua City, while in the DRC, their presence is concentrated north of Lake Albert.
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