By Ojok Robert Mone

Gulu

More than 150-families have been given ultimatum to vacate more than 2-acres land in Pabbo quarters in Gulu city or risk arrest and forceful court eviction. Richard Mundruga a soldier of Uganda peoples defence forces in 2017 secured court order and evicted some people in the part of the land that lies along Ring-road.

According to Richard Mundruga, he wants to develop part of his father’s land Vini who settled in the said land between 1972-1994 before returning to Adjumani due to old age. Some affected people acquired the land from Tribes’ mate of Vini named silvano Okuga, and relatives like Angee Doreen.

One of the custodians of the land Mahmud Zakariah thinks, Richard Mundruga needs to dialogue with the affected communities and forge ways of settling the dispute including compensating affected communities and hiring the land to the occupants.

Local council one chairperson of Pabbo quarters Raymond Opira who is also affected by the land conflict thinks, mundruga has no connection with Vini but only someone brought to grab peoples’ land. Raymond sited disparities in the court running claiming 4-plots meanwhile instructions to survey is showing 5-plots.

Alfred Oluba then chairperson Layibi division of gulu municipality say the land in contest used to be a dumping site of Gulu municipality popularly known as ‘Ngom pa Madi’ meaning Land of Madi people. According to Oluba, Mundruga approached his office that prompted him to make inquiries where majority of residents in the area acknowledge Vini to have settled in the area.     

In a meeting convened last week by the affected people by Gulu city security committee including police, district internal security officer and resident city commissioner, the resident City commissioner Jane Frances Amongin Okili demanded for all people affected by the court ruling to present documents showing the way they acquired the land in contest before possible dialogue meeting commence.

COVER PHOTO: Gulu RCC Jane Frances Amongin Okili Adressing Affected Communities By Ojok Robert Mone