By Dramadri Federick
Arua
The Arua district chairman Alfred Okuonzi has come under council scrutiny over illegal giveaway of district lands to private partners.
 
councilors noted with concern that the district chairman on several occasions has fraudulently involved himself in awarding council lands to private developers without council approval, citing examples like, the establishment of a pharmacy on the compound of the district production department offices along Ediofe road, the awarding of 4 acres of land to EU ambassadors and on top of this the chairman is alleged to have entered a deal with UN officials to give more land for establishing structures for office.
 
Okuonzi in retaliation accused council for not making use of the abundant land in the district, he also faulted committees for deferring his requests for land to be given to partners.
 
In a heated cross examination during Arua district council sitting on Tuesday April 8, 2025, the district speaker Lawino Single Buatre questioned Alfred Okuonzi   the Arua district chairman to explain why he operates without following council procedures.
 
The Chairman explains that, “Somebody said how did chairman allocate land to the European Union? How did chairman give land to the UN? I have seen committees wondering that who is doing this. Why can’t you think? You’re brought here to think innovatively to develop the district.”
 
The District speaker reacted,”you cannot expect the council to act when actually nothing has come to the council and remember we cannot just give land to somebody who has not put it in writing. Now for you as a chairman to give land without the council knowledge is wrong.”
 
These emanated from the failed push by the district chairman to ensure the council approves land for the establishment of grade one and two magistrate courts, Prison hostages in Arivu, Ajia and Logiri sub counties respectively after council was not convinced by the explanations of the chairman.
 
Luiji Candini the secretary works and technical services Arua district says neither the executive nor the committees received any request for land from the district chairman, “Our problem is Procedural Issue” Candini revealed.
 
On the other hand the district vice chairman Ronald Bilea distanced himself from any land transactions terming them illegal once not approved by council.
 
“Signing of Memorandum of Understanding does not involve me as leader of government business, maybe when I stand in for the district chairman, I can only sign as a witness.”
 
The district speaker in her ruling then ordered Okuonzi Alfred the Arua district chairman to reduce his appetite of wooing partners with council land secretly and start a fresh request to access the council lands.
 
 
 
 

Written by admin