The minister of Justice and constitutional affairs, Nobert Mao has issued a stern warning to newly elected LCV chairpersons in the Acholi Sub-region, cautioning them against appointing incompetent or politically compromised individuals to District Land Boards.
Speaking in Gulu on March 2, 2026, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs stressed that merit, integrity, and professionalism must guide appointments not political loyalty.
According to Mao, poor decisions at district level are fueling corruption, escalating land disputes, and weakening investor confidence in the region.
“Land governance must be handled with integrity. When you compromise on merit, you compromise the future of your people,” Mao warned.
The warning comes at a critical time for Acholi, where more than 93% of land remains under customary tenure — a system experts say is highly vulnerable to abuse and manipulation.
Data from Operation Wealth Creation indicates that only 21.5% of land holdings in the region are formally registered.
This low registration rate has left communities exposed to rising land wrangles, especially in post-conflict areas still recovering from displacement during the LRA insurgency.
With hybrid tenure systems in place, disputes have become more frequent — and women remain among the most disadvantaged under customary land rules.
Beatrice Akori, the Minister of State for Economic Monitoring, sounded the alarm over the increasing trend of selling customary land in small portions.
She warned that fragmented sales of communal land threaten long-term community stability, economic planning, and sustainable investment.
“Selling land piece by piece may solve short-term financial needs, but it creates long-term chaos,” she cautioned.
Veteran leader Hillary Onek joined the call for unity, urging Acholi leaders to work together on land governance and development priorities.
The meeting highlighted growing concerns that without strong, coordinated leadership, the region risks sliding into deeper land-related conflict undermining recovery efforts years after war displacement disrupted traditional ownership structures.
With land disputes on the rise and formal registration still low, Acholi’s future may depend on the integrity of those appointed to oversee land management.