Nwoya widows losing land

May 04, 2015

WIDOWS in Nwoya district are being forced to leave their marital land after refusing to accept being inherited by the brothers of their deceased husbands

By Arnest Tumwesige and Fancy Aromorach

 

WIDOWS in Nwoya district are being forced to leave their marital land after refusing to accept being inherited by the brothers of their deceased husbands.

 

Christine Akello aged 31 a resident of Latoro parish, Purongo Sub-county in Nwoya district said that she was chased away by her in-laws from her marital land four months ago after refusing widow inherence immediately after losing her husband who left her with five children.

 

Akello who got employed in farm work, told New Vision that of recent, life has seemingly become too hard for with her young children after losing seven hectares of land that were left by her husband.

 

“I lost my husband last year in October and chaos started in December and eventually I was chased in January. I am unable to carry out digging, keep my domestic animals and settle with my children,” Akello notes.

 

Mary Apiyo from Anaka sub-county also said that she is currently struggling with life at Anaka trading center after her huts and five hectares of land were taken by her in-laws one week after her husband passed away in an accident.

 

“In one week after my husband's death five of my in-laws lined up for me to select one of them, but when I showed no interest in any of them they told me to leave and my children were taken to my sister in law,” Apio explained.

 

Gertrude Odora, the women councilor five Anaka Town council, Nwoya district said that several widows are suffering in silently after losing their marital land for rejecting being inherited especially in the sub-counties of Anaka and Purongo,

 

Odora asked land rights activists to intervene and start vigorous sensitization of the community and the dangers of window inheritance.

 

Joseph Sabiti Omara, a legal officer for Uganda Land Alliance an organization that carries out land wrangle mediations said women in Northern Uganda are ignorant about land rights leaving land issues only to their husbands.

 

Omara encouraged women to gain courage and claim for their right to own land which should not be confused with cultural ties of disrespecting their husbands.

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