Alur Kingdom urged Widows, orphans to Register Land Complaints for justice dispensation

By Mike Rwothomio 

The revered Alur Kingdom has urged widows and orphans facing dispossession of family land and property to formally register their complaints with clan elders, chiefdom authorities and the kingdom for structured follow-up and mediation under the traditional Alur justice system.

The call comes against a backdrop of persistent property-grabbing challenges faced by widows and orphans across northern Uganda, including Zombo District.

Reports from the area document cases in which in-laws seize land previously cultivated by widows for decades, often leaving them and their children with little or no access. Less than 0.5 per cent of women in Zombo are said to own land, with fewer than 10 per cent having meaningful access, according to local land board officials.

Speaking at the burial of Charles Odaga in Abeju Parish, Nyapea Sub-County, Avari Chiefdom, Zombo District, the Kingdom’s Prime Minister ( Jadipu) stressed that widows and orphans must not be stripped of land and other properties by relatives of their late husbands or fathers. Odaga, son of the late Michael Oringi of the Jupa Jalmeo Royal clan, died after a prolonged illness linked to kidney complications. He was the biological brother of the late Anthony Orom of Skylux Hotel in Paidha Town Council.

The Jadipu specifically condemned the “rampant allegations of witchcraft” frequently levelled against widows by the deceased’s relatives or clansmen as a pretext to force them from marital homes and seize customary family land.

“We urge all widows and orphans whose land has been confiscated by their in-laws or relatives to report these matters to the elders and clan leaders. The Kingdom stands firmly against such unlawful dispossession of land and is committed to addressing it directly” Opar told the mourners.

He advised those affected to first seek arbitration from clan elders. If that fails, the matter should be referred to the Ker Alur chiefs of the relevant chiefdoms, and ultimately brought to the attention of the Jadipu and the Royal Council for final mediation.

He described this pathway as an Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanism operating under Article 128 of the Constitution of Uganda.

“Community members must refrain from resolving conflicts by murdering suspects for whatever allegations using mob justice tactics or other extra-judicial means,” the Jadipu said.

“Allow the law to handle such situations, as spilling blood is also a taboo under Ker Alur culture and tradition. “He further called on Alur people to take full advantage of the scholarships and bursaries that Ker Alur has secured from various academic and professional training institutions.

These opportunities, he said, are essential to build human resource capacity capable of driving the kingdom’s holistic development agenda and securing the future for posterity.

Ms. Sunday Kayom working with MEMPROW, a non-governmental organization working to provide adolescent girls and young women skills, voice, and choices needed to become successful, self-reliant individuals welcomes the Alur Kingdom initiative, saying “it will help to directly stamp out real challenges widows are going through silently in our community” 

Kerunega Evaristo Rini IV of Avari Chiefdom, who accompanied the Jadipu, condemned the rising incidents of people stealing crops such as coffee, bananas, avocado, beans and cassava from fields at night. He urged community members to remain vigilant and warned those involved to desist before the law catches up with them.

Chief Kerunega also denounced the uncultural practice of marriage between youths from the same clans, singling out Avari and Culamuk chiefdoms.

He noted that the founders of the two chiefdoms, Rini Jalubinyu and Jal’Akonja , were blood brothers, both sons of Ubimu Alworunga of Ker Alur who reigned from 1865 to 1890.

The Jadipu was accompanied by the Minister of Lands and Production, Hon. Wapokra John Pascal; the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality, Hon. Juliet Umika Oromcan; and Rwoth Ocan Henry Jalafoyo of Culamuk Chiefdom.

Similar patterns have persisted over the years, where patriarchal customary practices, interference by male relatives, limited knowledge of the law, economic vulnerability, absence of documentation or wills, and weak enforcement contribute to the problem.

Ugandan law provides clear protections.Article 31(2) of the 1995 Constitution requires Parliament to enact laws safeguarding the inheritance rights of widows and widowers.

The Land Act (Sections 39 and 40) grants spouses security of occupancy on family land and requires spousal consent before any sale, transfer, mortgage or lease of such land. The Succession Act, as amended in 2022, protects a surviving spouse’s right to occupy the deceased’s principal residential holding; anyone who evicts or attempts to evict a person entitled to that occupation commits an offence punishable by a fine, imprisonment of up to seven years, or both.

Ker Alur has previously directed chiefs and clan elders to prioritise Alternative Dispute Resolution for customary land conflicts, emphasising mediation that is both culturally grounded and consistent with national law.

Alur customary practice recognizes women’s user rights to marital land, and research indicates that widowhood does not automatically extinguish those rights. However, patriarchal inheritance practices can leave women vulnerable to dispossession.

Studies by organizations like the International Justice Mission and Oxfam indicate that roughly one-third of all widows lose portions of their land or homes to in-laws and clan members after a spouse dies. The report indicates approximately 30% to 36% of widows experience land and property grabbing by deceased husbands' relatives.

Mothers listen to the Kingdom Prime Minister during the burrial

Prime Minister ( Jadipu) Prince Lawrence Opar Angala flanked by Kingdom officials as he deliver the speech.

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