How Alur Kingdom is Using ADR to Mediate Endemic Land Conflicts

By Mike Rwothomio

On June 4, 2026, Alur Kingdom Prime Minister (Jadipu) Prince Lawrence Opar received Oryeda Ibrahim, Jago Kaal of Pakia Jupa Yonju kwai Keeno, in Zombo Town Council, who accompanied Okello Michael, a party in a long-standing land dispute with his neighbour Fabiano Wathum.

According to Prime Minister Prince Lawrence Opar Angala, the dispute had been successfully mediated over three years ago by Pakia Clan Elders under the chairmanship of Jago Kaal, with the outcome in favour of Okello. However, Wathum has refused to accept the mediated agreement and continues to cultivate the land in defiance.

Okello has now petitioned the Royal Council of Kaal Atyak Winam (Ker Alur) under the Jadipu to facilitate a fresh mediation process using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms consistent with the Alur Traditional Justice System.

The new mediation session is scheduled for June 18, 2026.

This case reflects numerous deep-rooted, unresolved land conflicts across the Kingdom. For years, clan elders have faced criticism from youths over perceived lack of impartiality in dispute settlement.

In response, the Alur Kingdom has increasingly adopted constructive conflict resolution approaches to address land wrangles that have turned violent in recent years.

Conflicts such as the Mundel land saga in Nyapea Sub County and Pakich land disputes in Atyak Sub County, previously unmanageable, have de-escalated with no further clashes, thanks to effective ADR interventions by the Kingdom.

On June 1, 2026, while delivering a message from His Majesty Ubimu Philliph Rauni Olarker III at the burial of the late Prince Terensio Oduburu Jalukongu in Akoyu village, Atyak Sub-county, Prime Minister Prince Lawrence Opar Angala urged subjects to utilise traditional chiefs for resolving land issues through Alternative Dispute Resolution.He encouraged the transfer of all customary land conflicts to clan elders in the chiefdoms for mediation and reconciliation using ADR mechanisms, now recommended by the Judiciary and aligned with the Alur Traditional Justice System before resorting to the adversarial court system, which is often expensive and time-consuming.

Jadipu Opar, drawing on ADR expertise gained from recent training in Kampala, mediates multiple land disputes daily at his office in Yamu trading centre, Atyak Sub-county.

“I want to encourage traditional chiefs across the Kingdom to ensure effective implementation of ADR in addressing persisting land disputes,” he told chiefs during the burial.

Opar highlighted that adopting ADR delivers significant benefits, including cost savings, efficiency, flexibility, and the preservation of relationships for peaceful coexistence among subjects.

Relatedly, His Majesty the Alur King, Ubimu Philliph Rauni Olarker III, has consistently called on subjects to reject “land conflicts that lead to pouring of blood,” advocating instead for peaceful resolution and productive use of land to uplift communities.

LCIII Chairperson of Atyak Sub County, Godfrey Okura, commended the Alur Kingdom for its central role since 2022 in addressing some of the area’s bloodiest land disputes. He appealed for sustained efforts to make land wrangles a thing of the past.

Recently, the Alur Kingdom issued a directive instructing chiefs and clan elders to take a leading role in mediating, reconciling, and resolving customary land conflicts through constructive and transparent ADR mechanisms.

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

The Kingdom also plans to engage Judiciary-approved legal practitioners to train its personnel in the implementation, promotion, and support of ADR mechanisms.This approach is grounded in Article 126(2)(d) and (e) of the 1995 Constitution of Uganda, which directs courts to promote reconciliation and ADR methods such as mediation and arbitration to enhance access to justice, reduce case backlogs, and foster less adversarial, cost-effective, and timely resolutions.

The Kingdom’s ADR push comes amid a sharp national rise in land conflicts. The 2025 Uganda Police Annual Crime Report, released on March 30, 2026, indicated a 67% increase in land-related crimes compared to 2024, with Northern Uganda accounting for 33% of cases.

Common issues include disputed boundaries (46%), family land wrangles (30%), and land grabbing (22%).

In Zombo District, land conflicts remain prevalent in sub-counties including Nyapea, Jangokoro, Paidha, and Atyak, often arising from disagreements among clan and family members under the customary land tenure system. Similar challenges persist in Nebbi District.

Under customary land ownership , which covers roughly 68.6% of Uganda’s land, the Kingdom continues to root resolutions in pre-colonial traditional systems based on ancestral norms, oral traditions, and validation by local leaders.

According to the Jadipu Prince Lawrence Opar Angala, the Alur Kingdom’s initiative endorsed by His Majesty Ubimu Phillip Rauni Ularker III, aligns with national efforts, including directives by Chief Justice Dr. Flavian Zeija for judicial officers to prioritise mediation and negotiation through a “Mediation First Approach.”

The Prime Minister (Jadipu), Prince Lawrence Opar Angala (standing at the centre in a white T-shirt), Thursday, received Oryeda Ibrahim (third left), the Jago Kaal of Pakia Jupa Yonju Kwai Keeno in Zombo Town Council, who presented Okello Michael (second right), a complainant in a longstanding land dispute with his neighbour, Fabiano Wathum.

Mike Rwothomio is news editor at Zoomer Africa, your number one grassroot information for African news, trends, and updates