Climate change fuels farmer-herder conflict in northern Uganda

What the report says

In northern Uganda’s Apac District, a dispute at Maruzi Ranch has illustrated how prolonged drought and shifting rainfall patterns are intensifying competition between pastoralists and farming communities. According to The Independent Uganda, the incident on June 26, 2026, involved cattle keeper Frank Tumwesigye, who was prevented by residents from reaching a watering point after they accused his animals of damaging crops and demanded payment. The report says the confrontation reflected broader pressure on land and water as livestock keepers move north in search of pasture.

The article says Maruzi Ranch, a government-owned property in Apac, has become a flashpoint as cattle numbers rise and local leaders report crop destruction, blocked access roads and occasional violence. Some farmers say they have lost access to areas they once cultivated and that stray livestock continue to damage gardens. The report also cites Uganda’s adaptation plan, which says temperatures have risen since 1960 and droughts have become more frequent, especially in the cattle corridor. More generally, climate stress is described as driving migration and sharpening existing land-tenure disputes across Uganda and parts of East Africa.

The government has defended its eviction campaign in northern Uganda, saying it is based on land ownership and compliance with existing laws rather than ethnicity. Officials say those with valid documents should remain, while those unable to prove ownership must leave. The report notes that more than 300 pastoralists have challenged the evictions in court, making the issue a major legal test over property rights, due process and pastoral livelihoods.