The Speaker Urom Jepter speaking during the council of chiefs meeting
By Prisca Oroma
The king of Alur kingdom His majesty Philip Olar Ker Rauni III has urged traditional chiefs and local leaders in the district to sensitize the communities against the sale of land to avoid future conflicts.
While addressing leaders, during the Ker Alur council of chiefs meeting at ley cultural ground in Nebbi municipal Nebbi district recently, the King said leaders should mobilize and Sensitize the Alur subjects about the dangers of selling and hiring out their land since this is one of the many ways issues of land conflicts are on rise.
“As cultural leaders and custodians of land in Alur kingdom, I recommend every cultural leader to discourage sale of land in their respective chiefdoms” he said
He noted that it is unfortunate that most chiefs are being implicated in the land wrangles within the communities. He encouraged them to promote peace by discouraging the communities from selling land but protecting the land from grabbers.
He added that the issues of land conflicts are real and a sensitive matter and it needs a collective commitment of all stakeholders to handle it.
He further said as cultural leaders it’s also high time to always involve the women and youth in the decision making of land issues since they are mostly affected during the land conflicts.
He appealed to the government to come up with laws that can support the marginalized land owners since this will be the only way they can fight for their rightful ownership of the land.
Nebbi deputy Resident District Commissioner Ssembalirwa Hassan during the meeting cautioned the cultural leaders against taking sides in the negotiation of selling of land for their selfish gain that in the end causes land conflicts and bloodshed among members of the communities.
“As traditional leaders one should avoid taking negative decisions while making judgment during the settlement of land disputes for their personal interest since this is one of the leading causes of land conflict leading to loss of property and bloodshed. Hassan said.
The Speaker Council of Chiefs Ker Alur Kingdom Hon Jeptar Orom also during the meeting admitted that due to high illiteracy level and lack of knowledge and skills in handling land conflicts, there is need to sensitize the chiefs to know their roles in handling land matters.
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