Bulambuli Land Dispute: Boundary Opening Exercise Halted Amid Fears of Land Grab

• A boundary-opening exercise on a 13,000-acre piece of land in Bulambuli was halted after residents blocked the process.
• The standoff occurred despite a court order directing the Commissioner for Surveys and Mapping to undertake the exercise.
• Residents opposed the exercise, citing fears of a planned land grab by a foreign investor.
• Security forces deployed tear gas to disperse protesters before an on-site meeting resolved to suspend the exercise.

The standoff continued until the intervention of Quarter Barracks Commander Colonel Phillip Achelam Oriem, who was informed of the operation after tear gas was fired to disperse the protesters.

A boundary-opening exercise on a 13,000-acre piece of land in Bunambutye, Bulambuli District, was halted after residents blocked the process, citing fears of a planned land grab by a foreign investor. The standoff occurred despite a court order directing the Commissioner for Surveys and Mapping to undertake the exercise as part of Land Civil Suit No. 039 of 2024. Residents opposed the exercise, prompting security forces to deploy tear gas to disperse them. The situation was eventually resolved through on-site consultations among security officials, with an agreement reached to suspend the exercise and reconvene for further discussions before implementation resumes.

The boundary-opening exercise was linked to a long-running dispute between locals and a foreign investor over the 13,000-acre land. The court order directing the exercise was issued in Land Civil Suit No. 039 of 2024, which involves Eastern Uganda Agriculture Ltd versus Wanjala Jacob alias Wanjala Jacob Uswa & 2 Others. The order specified that the Commissioner for Surveys and Mapping should undertake the boundary-opening exercise by August 15, 2026. However, the clearance letter from the Inspector General of Police's office emphasized that security personnel were only authorized to provide security during the exercise and not to evict residents or carry out any activity outside the scope of the court order.

The recent standoff over the boundary-opening exercise may set a precedent for challenging court-ordered exercises, particularly in cases where local communities have not been adequately engaged. Lawyers advising clients on land acquisition in Eastern Uganda should be aware of this development and ensure their clients are involved in the process to avoid similar confrontations. The incident highlights the need for transparency and community engagement in land-related disputes, which can help prevent conflicts and ensure that court orders are implemented smoothly.

Lawyers advising clients on land acquisition in Eastern Uganda should be aware that the recent standoff over a boundary-opening exercise may set a precedent for challenging court-ordered exercises, and ensure their clients are adequately engaged in the process to avoid similar confrontations.

Source: Original reporting via Nile Post