Residents Block Boundary Opening on Contested 13,000-Acre Land in Bulambuli

What the report says

Tension flared in Bunambutye, Bulambuli District, after residents blocked a court-ordered boundary-opening exercise on a disputed 13,000-acre tract of land. The operation, which involved surveyors and a heavy police and UPDF deployment, was linked to a civil case between Eastern Uganda Agriculture Ltd and local residents named in the court matter.

According to Nile Post, residents objected to the exercise because they feared it was a step toward a land grab by the investor. When the crowd confronted the survey team, police used tear gas to disperse protesters. Bulambuli MP Emanuel Biara also criticized the process, saying the community had not been properly sensitized and that he had not been notified as the area’s representative.

Security officials said the deployment had been cleared by the Inspector General of Police’s office, but only for maintaining security during the boundary-opening exercise and not for eviction or any action beyond the court order. The clearance also indicated that the work should stop if violence broke out so consultations could take place.

After the confrontation, officers held discussions on site, including with Quarter Barracks Commander Colonel Phillip Achelam Oriem, who said he had not been aware of the operation. The exercise was then suspended, with the parties expected to meet again for further consultations before the court order is carried out.