By Mike Rwothomio

A delegation of residents from Amurupii village in Angol Parish, Atyak Sub-county, on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, visited the office of the Alur Kingdom Prime Minister (Jadipu) to seek intervention through the kingdom’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism in a protracted land conflict that has raised security concerns.

The aggrieved parties appealed to the kingdom to facilitate peaceful resolution using its traditional conflict resolution processes, which emphasise truth-telling, mediation, and reconciliation while operating within Uganda’s constitutional and statutory frameworks.

According to local leaders who escorted the delegation to the Jadipu’s office at Yamu Trading Centre, efforts to resolve the matter at the village level through LC1 and elders failed after one party refused to participate.

The dispute has evolved into a complex wrangle involving multiple stakeholders and has degenerated into serious security implications.

The core of the conflict centres on land occupied by the family of Mzee Gabriel Matia, originally from the Madi tribe in Madi Okollo District. Mzee Matia migrated to the area more than four decades ago under the authority of the Alur Kingdom. 

Kinsmen from Madi Okollo now claim the land belongs to their clan and have reportedly sold portions of it to Bule Richard, a former UPDF soldier from Maracha District, without consulting Mzee Matia’s family or other local stakeholders in Amurupii village.

This action prompted Mzee Matia’s family to involve local leaders for mediation, but the other parties declined to engage.

Consequently, the family has escalated the matter to the Alur Kingdom, invoking the role of Ubimu Phillip Olarker Rauni III as the traditional trustee of customary lands.

Mr Mungujakisa Victor, son of Mzee Gabriel Matia, accompanied by the area LC1 Chairman, formally reported the matter to Kaal Atyak on behalf of the family.

“We believe that you, the Jadipu, have the expertise, and we are appealing as a family that you intervene so that peace can reign in our area,” Mungujakisa stated, while narrating the family’s ordeal.

Other delegation members, including Rehema, the female district youth councillor, also highlighted the volatile situation caused by the land wrangle and urged the kingdom’s immediate intervention.

Prince Lawrence Opar Angala, the Alur Kingdom Prime Minister (Jadipu), commended the delegation for choosing the kingdom’s ADR pathway.

Having successfully handled several land disputes through this mechanism in recent months, he assured the group that a kingdom delegation would soon visit Amurupii village to listen to all conflicting parties.

“The kingdom delegation will travel to start listening to these people down there in Amurupii, between these two families so that we sort out this issue once and for all,” Jadipu said.

He added that a report would subsequently be submitted to government authorities to help restore safety, peace, and security in the area.

The Jadipu also noted broader concerns, including unresolved inter-district border issues between Zombo and Madi Okollo districts, as well as environmental degradation marked by the cutting of indigenous trees.

A convenient date for the on-site mediation meeting will be communicated to all parties and stakeholders shortly.

Previous attempts by Mr Rwothomio Patrick and Atyak Police Station CID officer Olobo Francis to resolve the matter over more than five years had not succeeded.

This latest intervention aligns with the Alur Kingdom’s ongoing rollout of ADR processes for land conflicts and clan misunderstandings.

The mechanism focuses on non-adversarial resolution anchored in traditional justice systems based on facts and truth-telling, consistent with Article 126(2)(d) & (e) of the Constitution of Uganda.

Related Successful Mediations

On June 4, 2026, the Jadipu received Oryeda Ibrahim, Jago Kaal of Pakia Jupa Yonju kwai Keeno, and Okello Michael regarding a land dispute with neighbour Fabiano Wathum. The matter was later successfully mediated through ADR by the Prime Minister Prince Lawrence Opar Angala in the presence of hundreds of subjects in the area.

On Saturday, June 20, 2026, the kingdom also concluded a prolonged succession dispute in Abira Chiefdom through ADR, enabling the rightful hereditary heir to ascend the throne in a ceremony attended by hundreds of subjects from Abira and allied sub-clans.

Most land conflicts in the region stem from dubious sales and boundary disputes on customary land, which constitutes approximately 68.6% of Uganda’s land and is governed by ancestral norms, oral traditions, and local leadership validation.

The Alur Kingdom’s approach supports national judicial efforts, including directives by Chief Justice Dr Flavian Zeija promoting a “Mediation First Approach,” mandatory mediation consideration, and a 28-day resolution target to reduce case backlogs.

Prince Opar expressed confidence that ADR delivers cost savings, efficiency, flexibility, and the preservation of relationships, fostering peaceful coexistence among the kingdom’s subjects.

Jadipu Prince Lawrence Opar Angala (holding Fly-whisk) in group photo with the delegation after the meeting at his office in Yamo Trading Centre. 

From L to R: Mr Olobo Francis (Police CID Officer), Mr Rwothomio Patrick (LC 1, Chairman); Mr Mungujakisa Victor (son of complainant); Ms Anirwoth Rehema (tenant); Prince Santo Ofoymungu Jalukongu and Prince Morris Kerlith Jaludok of the Jadipu's Office.

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