By Mike Rwothomio

The Alur Kingdom has issued a directive instructing its chiefs and clan elders to take a central role in mediating, reconciling, and resolving customary land conflicts among its subjects through constructive and transparent Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms.

The directive was conveyed by the Alur Kingdom Prime Minister (Jadipu), Prince Lawrence Opar Angala, on behalf of His Majesty the Alur King, Ubimu Philliph Rauni Ularker III. 

He made the announcement while addressing mourners at the burial of the late former Jago of Kaal Okayu, Stanley Uyerggiw Ukal, on Wednesday, 1st April 2026, in Zombo Town Council, where he represented Ker Alur as the Chief Mourner.

Prince Opar assured the gathering that the Kingdom will soon engage legal practitioners approved by the judiciary to train its personnel in the implementation, promotion, and support of the ADR mechanism.

“The Kingdom will soon engage legal practitioners approved by the judiciary to help in the implementation of ADR by training its personnel for promoting and supporting the practice of ADR mechanism,” Opar stated, adding that “this is linked naturally to our traditional means of resolving disputes amongst the Alur people aligning with the laws of Uganda.”

He further urged mourners to begin transferring all customary land conflicts to clan elders in the chiefdoms for mediation and reconciliation using the Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanism, now recommended by the Judiciary in line with the Alur Traditional Justice System, before resorting to the adversarial court system, which is expensive and time-consuming.

According to the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, Alternative Dispute Resolution is fundamentally mandated under Article 126(2)(d) and (e), which direct courts to promote reconciliation and ADR methods such as mediation and arbitration.

These approaches enhance access to justice, reduce case backlogs, and encourage less adversarial, cost-effective, and faster resolutions.

The PM (Jadipu) Prince Lawrence Opar Angala introducing Rwodhi/Jegias who attended the burial of the former Jago of Kaal Okayu the late Stanley Uyerggiw Ukal on Wednesday 1st April 2026 in Zombo Town Council where he represented Ker Alur as the Chief Mourner.

The Prime Minister’s directive comes amid a sharp rise in land-related conflicts. The 2025 Uganda Police Annual Crime Report, released on March 30, 2026, showed that land-related crimes, including conflicts and fraud, increased by 67% compared to 2024.

Northern Uganda accounted for 33% of cases, while Central Uganda recorded 25%. The most prevalent issues were disputed land boundaries (46%), family land wrangles (30%), and land grabbing (22%).

In Zombo District, land conflicts remain rampant in sub-counties such as Nyapea, Jangokoro, Paidha, and Atyak, often stemming from disagreements among clan members, family members, and relatives over ownership rights under the customary land tenure system.

Similar challenges have persisted in Nebbi District. In 2024, advocate Kelvine Adubango of Joel Cox Advocates told the Cooperator Magazine that his firm handles over 1,000 land conflict cases annually in Nebbi, with the majority involving families.

“Some of these cases have been referred for mediation, others have gone to court,” he said.

His Majesty the Alur King, Ubimu Philliph Rauni Ularker III, has consistently rallied his subjects against “land conflicts that lead to pouring of blood,” emphasizing peaceful resolution and the strategic, productive use of land to uplift communities out of poverty.

Customary land ownership, which covers roughly 68.6% of Uganda’s land, is rooted in pre-colonial traditional systems. Land is owned communally by clans or individuals based on ancestral norms, oral traditions, and validation by local leaders rather than formal registered titles.

The Alur Kingdom's directive aligns with recent national efforts. The Chief Justice of Uganda, Dr. Flavian Zeija, recently directed all judicial officers to prioritize ADR mechanisms, particularly mediation and negotiation, to reduce case backlogs.

Key elements of the directive include a “Mediation First Approach,” mandatory consideration of mediation before fixing cases for hearing, adherence to a 28-day rule for resolution, and a shift toward a “mediation mindset” to foster quicker and cheaper dispute resolution.

In 2015, the Government of Uganda introduced the Certificate of Customary Ownership (CCO) to provide proof of ownership for customary land holders and protect their claims.

A civil society representative in Zombo District welcomed the Kingdom’s initiative, noting that conflicts over customary land have long been exacerbated by a lack of experts skilled in Alternative Dispute Resolution.

The representative highlighted that many people view the CCO process as hectic, creating opportunities for trespass, grabbing, and conflicts, especially as population pressure on land increases.

He called for transparency and honesty from chiefs and clan elders when mediating such disputes using ADR.

Meanwhile Prince Opar , the Alur Kingdom's Prime Minister expressed confidence that adopting ADR will deliver significant benefits, including cost savings, efficiency, flexibility, and the preservation of relationships and peaceful coexistence among the subjects.

Alur King His Majesty Ubimu Phillip Rauni Ularker III.

Mike Rwothomio is news editor at zoomer Africa your number one grassroot information hub