Why have the police suspended activities on contested clan land in Adjumani?

Security authorities in Adjumani district have on March 17, 2026, suspended all activities on a disputed piece of land in Kobo village following escalating tensions between members of the Ira clan and other community members claiming ownership of the same land.

The intervention was led by Odongo Raymond, the Officer in Charge of Uganda Police Force at Adjumani Central Police Station, following disagreements over the land in Kobo village, Okangali parish, Ciforo sub-county, which turned violent and left several people injured.

The security team convened a community dialogue aimed at restoring calm and encouraging peaceful coexistence among the conflicting parties. However, the meeting failed to produce an agreement as both sides maintained strong claims over the land.

Speaking during the meeting, Irama Luke, the LC2 chairperson of Okangali parish, urged the community to avoid violence and embrace peaceful means of resolving the dispute.

“Today, we are here with the security team from Adjumani Police Station to harmonise this issue of the land that we started and also make sure everyone remains peaceful. There should be no fighting and no use of harmful tools, such as pangas. Let us advocate for peace,” he said.

Members of the Ira clan, who claim ancestral ownership of the land, said they are not interested in evicting people who obtained land legitimately, but are calling for respect for their traditional rights.

According to Aluma Mamawi, a member of the Ira, the clan is advocating for peaceful coexistence rather than confrontation.

“We, the members of Ira land who are the owners of this land in Kobo, do not have interest in chasing away anyone who acquired land here in a rightful way. What we want is peaceful coexistence with families from different clans who wish to live with the people of Ira clan in Kobo,” Mamawi said.

However, some residents who have been cultivating the disputed land rejected proposals that would require them to share or relinquish portions they say are legally acquired.

Representing the community members farming on the land, Vukoni Emmanuel insisted that the residents would not accept any arrangement that would force them to surrender land they have already cleared and developed.

“We the community living here and also farming on that land will not accept sharing the portion that has already been cleared by us with the Ira clan. Yes, we acknowledge that the land originally belonged to them, but some of us acquired it legally and we have documents signed by their grandparents,” he said.

Addressing the gathering, Odongo Raymond clarified that the role of the police is not to determine land ownership, but to maintain law and order while the rightful authorities handle the matter.

“This issue is about contested land in this village. Since all of you are claiming ownership, you must have proof of that ownership. As police, we do not allocate land to individuals. It is the court that determines land ownership after proper verification and local visits,” he explained.

He emphasised that security agencies will only intervene if criminal acts occur but insisted that the current situation required immediate measures to prevent further violence.

The officer directed that the status quo must remain, meaning all activities on the contested land must stop until the matter is legally resolved.

“The contested land must remain without any activity. There should be no selling, no farming and no other dealings on that land until the matter is resolved in court. All parties should first leave that piece of land to avoid criminal acts,” Odongo stated.

Following the failed mediation, the security team instructed the LC2 office to prepare a detailed report on the dispute and forward it to the sub-county authorities for further administrative handling.

The suspension of activities is expected to remain in force until the rightful ownership of the land is determined through legal channels.

Local leaders and security officials have called on residents of Kobo village to remain calm and avoid actions that could escalate tensions as efforts to find a lasting solution continue.