By Our Reporter
Soroti City Woman Member of Parliament Joan Alobo Acom has asked the government to urgently intervene in the escalating grabbing of public land, warning that several government primary schools risk losing their land to encroachers allegedly involving political leaders and technical officials.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Friday during a session on matters of national importance, Alobo told legislators that public land in Soroti City was being grabbed and subdivided into plots, threatening the operations and future expansion of government institutions.
She cited Swaria, Pamba, Moruapesur and Nakatunya primary schools among the public institutions whose land has reportedly been affected by the alleged encroachment.
Alobo called for an independent investigation into the alleged land grabbing, urging the government to identify and hold accountable those responsible while recovering the disputed land for public use.
"I implore the government to institute an independent body to investigate the culprits, have them interdicted and recover the land for the public benefit," Alobo told Parliament.
The legislator expressed concern that some of the people allegedly involved in the land grabbing were political leaders and technical staff who should instead be protecting public property.
She called for decisive government action to safeguard school land and prevent further encroachment.
In response, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Judith Nabakooba, assured Parliament that the government would work to address the reported cases.
Nabakooba said her ministry was collaborating with the Ministry of Education and Sports to resolve the disputes affecting government schools.
"We are working together with the Ministry of Education to handle all these cases as soon as possible," Nabakooba said.
She identified the lack of proper surveying and land titles as one of the major challenges complicating efforts to protect government school land.
According to the minister, many government schools have not had their land surveyed, leaving their boundaries vulnerable to disputes and encroachment.
She said the government had embarked on plans to survey government schools and process land titles to strengthen their legal protection.
"We are starting to survey all the government schools and have their land titles processed. We shall work together with members of Parliament to face the land grabbers as soon as possible," Nabakooba said.
The minister's response comes amid growing concerns over the protection of public land in Soroti City, where disputes involving government institutions and neighbouring settlers have persisted for years.
Moruapesur and Nakatunya primary schools are among the institutions facing longstanding land disputes with neighbouring settlers, with some cases reportedly dragging through the courts without a lasting resolution.
The disputes have raised concerns about the possibility of the schools losing substantial portions of their land, potentially limiting space for classroom construction, playgrounds and other essential educational facilities.
The continued uncertainty has also heightened calls for government intervention to establish clear boundaries, recover any unlawfully occupied land and protect the interests of learners and the wider community.
In 2023, Alobo chaired community barazas aimed at addressing land-related concerns affecting residents and public institutions in Soroti City.
However, some of the issues reportedly remained unresolved, leaving the affected schools exposed to continued disputes.
The latest parliamentary intervention is expected to renew pressure on the relevant government agencies to investigate the allegations, establish ownership of the disputed land and implement lasting solutions.
As the government moves to survey schools and process their land titles, residents and education stakeholders will be watching to see whether the promised measures translate into the recovery and protection of public land.
For the affected schools, securing their land is not merely an administrative exercise but a crucial step towards protecting educational infrastructure and preserving public assets for future generations.
