TORORO | CATHOLIC CHURCH | LAND | WRANGLES

The Catholic Church is embroiled in land wrangles involving over 1200 acres in the Busia district.

The land located in Amunuoit, Angolol, and Angorom villages in the Buteba sub-county is being claimed by the registered trustees of Tororo Catholic Archdiocese and tycoons: David Ochieng and John Lucky Okware the executive director of Eastern Rice Company Ltd.

Whereas George Alfred Obore and Father Centurion Olaboro, who represent the church, say the church acquired the land title in 1982 from the land they bought from Herald Wejuli and Fidalis Wejuli, Ochieng and Okware faulted the church for allegedly claiming what is not theirs.

Concern was raised after Obore and Olaboro on Saturday went with a surveyor to plant fresh boundary marks on the said land without the involvement of any neighbors.

This sparked controversy, which caused community members to attack the church teams, forcing them to run in disarray. The surveyor sought refuge in the wilderness as angry residents bayed for his blood.

Subsequently, Ochieng filed a case of criminal trespass against Obore and Olaboro at Tororo Central Police Station under reference SD/07/01/2023 after seeking an audience with the Bukedi south region Police commander.

Police summoned Obore and Olaboro to record statements regarding the development of the contested piece of land.

Both Ochieng and Okware faulted the Church team for invading the land in the wee hours well knowing that the land in question doesn't belong to the Church.

Ochieng said he has been utilizing the land for quite a long time after acquiring it from the Abajabi clan without any incumbrances until Saturday when fresh marking stones were being planted.

Moses Ouma, who heads the Abajabi clan, told the Police that the church has never owned any portion of their clan land apart from Ochieng.

Ouma said he was equally shocked when the Church came to open boundaries on the land that has never belonged to them.

Joseph Opili, the Amunuoit LCI chairperson, said they only know Ochieng as the bonafide owner of the disputed land.

Police detectives yesterday afternoon visited the locus on a fact-finding mission.