At the lower belt of the Sebei Sub-region, in Kiriki Sub-county, Kween District, lives a disgruntled community composed mainly of the Sabiny and minority Bakusu tribes. The residents are aggrieved over the loss of more than 10,000 hectares of ancestral land to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), now gazetted under the Upe National Game Reserve.
Their cries – from the elderly, mothers, and other vulnerable groups – have been amplified by fresh threats of eviction and alleged illegal titling of land across the five parishes that make up Kiriki Sub-county. Despite years of petitions to government offices and local authorities, residents say their appeals have gone unanswered.
‘When we see many of our children not going to school, families starving due to lack of land to farm, and poor road infrastructure, we link it to the government’s blind eye toward our plight as minority Bakusu and sections of the Sabiny in Kiriki,’ says Mr Alex Lukhanda Natembeya, a community leader. While some residents have taken legal action over the lost Kakumai land, ongoing evictions and alleged land grabbing through illegal titles have left many families in despair. Mr Alfred Chelimo, the Kiriki Sub-county chairperson, warns that the escalating land disputes threaten to derail service delivery and government development programmes. ‘We have petitioned different government offices. Many of our people were evicted from Kakumai by the government and now face eviction again on the land where they resettled,’ he says.
During the National Land Awareness Week on August 27, local leaders told a visiting team from the Ministry of Lands, civil society, and Kween District that large portions of land – particularly Block 2, Plots 87 and 88 – had been titled illegally by powerful individuals.
Mr Isaac Masaba, the Kween District land management officer, confirmed that they queried the titles and alerted the Ministry of Lands. ‘Some ‘wise’ men took advantage of the absence of the indigenous Kakumai community – who fled during cattle rustling raids by the Karimojong and Pokot – to acquire titles illegally,’ he said. ‘We have a report from the Ministry of Lands directing the cancellation of these titles, but this has not yet been implemented,’ he added.
The Kakumai land dispute
The Kakumai community once occupied more than 10,000 hectares, now part of the Upe National Game Reserve. Through their lawyers, they have issued a notice of intention to sue UWA, demanding compensation or resettlement. On April 12, 2014, the community was forcibly evicted from Kakumai without notice, reportedly by security personnel led by UWA. Local leaders say the residents had peacefully coexisted with the wildlife reserve, knowing River Kiriki marked the boundary between Kween and Karamoja.
However, UWA later claimed the land, leading to the eviction. Many displaced families resettled in the lower areas of Kiriki Sub-county – in Kamabati, Chemurot, and Cheptuati parishes – but remain without land security. Ms Patricia Cherop, the Kween District councillor for Kiriki Sub-county, says women and young girls bear the brunt of the crisis. ‘Because our people lost their land, women struggle to find food since the cultivable land is limited. Our area lacks schools and health centres because the land is claimed by individuals with illegal titles. The government must intervene,’ she said.
Compensation demand
Through Kayanja and Co. Advocates, the Kakumai community notified UWA’s executive director of their intention to sue over the illegal eviction. Their letter, dated April 28, 2025, cites violations of the right to property, shelter, and dignity, describing the eviction as inhumane and degrading. The lawyers demand Shs20 billion in compensation and another Shs20 billion in legal costs, as well as an immediate halt to any further evictions. ‘Failure to comply within 45 days will result in legal action against UWA,’ the letter, received by UWA on April 28, 2025, reads in part. Dr James Musinguzi, the UWA executive director, said he was unaware of the suit since he had recently assumed office, but was open to dialogue.
‘I advise the Kakumai community to seek dialogue. I just took over as executive director and am not yet fully briefed on this complaint. I will meet the community to understand their concerns and forge a way forward,’ he told Daily Monitor on September 17, 2025. ‘UWA manages wildlife on behalf of all Ugandans. This is not a private arrangement,’ Dr Musinguzi emphasised. Kween District Woman MP Rose Mary Cherukut says land disputes in the district, particularly in Kiriki Sub-county and among the Kakumai community, are worsening due to unclear boundaries involving both UWA and neighbouring Pokot communities in Amudat District.
‘The land challenges are real and have left many of our people landless,’ she said in an interview on September 4, 2025. ‘We also have cases of illegal titling in Kiriki, Ngenge, and Chepsukunya areas, which continue to fuel conflicts.’ Kween Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Hope Atuhaire echoed similar concerns, pointing to undefined boundaries between Kween, Bukwo, and Amudat Districts. ‘We need a clear boundary between UWA land and community land. The situation also affects the Benet people, who urgently need resettlement,’ she said.
Government’s position
Mr Hassan Abdallah Byantalo, a lands officer at the Ministry of Lands, said government teams are documenting land-related grievances for eventual resolution. ‘The Land Awareness Week allows us to engage communities and document the different challenges. Some cases are already before the court,’ he said.
He added that ministry lawyers were guiding residents on land ownership and dispute procedures. ‘When people are denied their land rights, their livelihoods are destroyed. Civil society and government must jointly address injustices like illegal titling and evictions,’ Mr Byantalo said.
Ms Esther Kisembo, a programme officer at ActionAid Uganda, stressed the need to educate communities on land ownership and documentation. ‘These areas rely on customary land systems that need to be formalised through sensitisation,’ she explained. ‘Residents must learn how to register customary certificates, convert land to freehold, and prevent illegal transactions. Cases of land grabbing and unlawful evictions must be investigated thoroughly,’ she said.
A troubled history
According to former district chairperson Geoffrey Chelogoi, disputes between the upper and lower areas of the district – particularly involving the Benet, Ngenge, and Kiriki communities – have long persisted. ‘The district has struggled to resolve historical problems involving the Benet and their boundary disputes with UWA, as well as land issues in Ngenge, Kiriki, and Chepsukunya,’ Mr Chelogoi said. ‘These problems stem from decades of cattle rustling by the Karimojong and Pokot, which displaced many families,’ he added. During the height of the rustling and insecurity, many families fled the area, leaving about 15,000 hectares of land vacant for over 20 years. When peace returned and the displaced residents came back, they discovered that much of their land had been titled to private individuals. Today, the people of Kiriki Sub-county continue to live under uncertainty.
With most of their land lost or disputed, poverty has deepened. Food insecurity is rampant, and development initiatives have stalled. Schools and health centres remain scarce because of unclear land ownership, and roads are in poor condition. Community members insist that government action, particularly through the Ministry of Lands and UWA, is the only way to end the cycle of displacement and land grabbing. They want all illegally obtained titles cancelled, compensation for lost land, and clear demarcation between UWA-managed territory and community land. Despite visits from government officials and civil society, little progress has been made.