By Gilbert Akampa Kakurugu,
MBARARA
Friends of Women Initiative (FROWI) has launched a nationwide campaign to combat land grabbing, forceful evictions, and land conflicts in Uganda. The project, “Building the Capacities of Peace Committees and Actors for Peaceful Resolution of Land Conflicts in Uganda,” aims to promote peaceful resolution of land disputes and protect citizens’ land rights.
The campaign, which began on July 1st, 2024, will mobilize citizens across Uganda to defend their land rights through land law trainings and an information campaign. FROWI has called on government officials, community leaders, humanitarian aid workers, judges, lawyers, and citizens to join the campaign and uphold land and property rights in Uganda.
Bonny Beinomugisha, Legal Officer at FROWI, urged government agencies like the Uganda Land Commission to prevent land grabbing and protect vulnerable people’s lands. She also appealed to partners to provide financial support to grassroots land rights defenders working to promote and protect land rights across the country.
The campaign aims to address the dualist land tenure system, which has led to land conflicts, displacement, and food insecurity. Women are disproportionately affected, with many experiencing land-related conflicts, displacement, and succession disputes.
FROWI has pledged to continue working to promote and protect land rights, ensuring that citizens are aware of their rights and can access legal recourse when needed. The organization believes that by working together, they can create a harmonious relationship between customary law and traditional institutions, ultimately reducing land conflicts in Uganda.
