Kitgum district is stepping up preparations to receive an estimated 100,000 refugees as government and humanitarian agencies advance plans to establish a new refugee settlement in Labongo Amida-West sub-county.

The proposed settlement will be located in Kampala Anyuka and Lakwam villages in Okidi parish, where three families have offered a combined 491 hectares of land for the project.

The preparations gained momentum in August 2026 when a technical team from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Food Programme (WFP) visited the proposed site to assess the land and support the development of a settlement plan.

Oloya Amos, the LC3 chairperson of Labongo Amida-West sub-county, said the district was first approached in November 2024 by the OPM, UNHCR and WFP to identify land that could be used to establish a new refugee settlement.

He said the district subsequently asked sub-counties to identify communities with large parcels of land whose owners were willing to make them available for the project.

According to Amos, consultations in Labongo Amida West led to three families, Olweny Justo, Okello Boniface and Onama Leo agreeing to provide 491 hectares.

The agreement was documented and presented to the sub-county council, which endorsed it in December 2024 before forwarding it to the district for approval.

Amos said the proposed settlement is being planned with facilities intended to serve both refugees and the host population.

He said 20 hectares of the land have specifically been set aside for the construction of schools and health facilities.

Preparations for water supply have also started, with technical teams identifying three locations where boreholes are expected to be drilled and equipped with motorised water systems.

“The intention is to have the necessary services in place because the settlement will accommodate a large number of people,” Amos said.

Kitgum district LC5 chairperson Tolit Tonny Blair said the district was working with the government and humanitarian agencies to prepare the area for the settlement.

Blair urged residents to cooperate with the authorities and prepare for the arrival of refugees, saying peaceful coexistence would be important given the expected size of the settlement.

Kitgum Resident District Commissioner Ssegawa Jimmy Ebil said the Government would also protect the interests of the landowners who had made their land available for the project.

Ssegawa said the land had been committed for use as a refugee settlement for 20 years, after which the arrangement would be reviewed.

He said the government would ensure that the land is protected and used for the purpose agreed upon with the landowners.

The district leadership expects the first refugees to arrive from October, subject to the completion of preparations.

With an estimated 21,000 households expected to settle in the area, local leaders say the development of water, health, education and other basic services will be critical.

They have also called on residents to prepare for peaceful coexistence with the refugees and avoid conflicts that could arise from pressure on land, water and other shared resources.

The proposed settlement is part of Uganda’s continued refugee-hosting arrangements and is expected to bring new demands on Kitgum’s social services while also creating opportunities for improved infrastructure in the host community.