UGANDA: Teso cultural leader wants elders to handle land cases

By SIMON PETER EMWAMU

The paramount chief of Teso Sub-region, Emorimor Augustine Osuban, has demanded that land cases be entrusted to clan elders, saying courts depend on hearsay when ruling on disputes.

Speaking during the first Iteso Cultural Heritage Day at Soroti Boma Grounds at the weekend, Mr Osuban said land wrangles today were happening because clan elders who have the background knowledge of family and clan members are being ignored.

He said those forcibly evicting people from their land were doing so in bad faith.

“The Iteso Cultural Union has partnered with the Land and Equity Movement to publish books that clan heads and courts can use in resolving land cases,” the Teso head said.

He added that it was upon the Iteso to either offer Agu Wetland to ICU for sugarcane growing or not, saying he has not sold the land to State House as rumoured.

The Emorimor’s request comes just a day after Alur cultural leaders sought government’s permission to handle minor communal cases such as witchcraft and land wrangles, which they say should be their responsibility.

Source: DW (18/12/2012): http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Teso-cultural-leader-wants-elders-to-handle-land-cases/-/688334/1646068/-/dwag8w/-/index.html