Charles Ikabat, the LC3 Chairperson of Okore Subcounty, expressed concern over the unresolved land matter involving the Akubal family, who reportedly surveyed the land in 2012.
Concern continues to grow in Katakwi District over unresolved ownership of contentious land in Okore Subcounty, where thousands of residents live in uncertainty. Locals in Okore are now calling on Parliament to intervene in the long-running land dispute, which involves the alleged fraudulent surveying and lease of over 4,987 hectares of land.
Residents say the matter remains unresolved despite ongoing debates over the possible cancellation of land titles. It is alleged that the disputed land—currently home to nearly 8,000 people across 25 villages in Okore Subcounty—was surveyed by individuals identified as John Akubal, Emmanuel Okubu, and Grace Titin. However, to date, its official cancellation remains unclear.
Residents are also questioning why documents related to the title are not being displayed or explained to them transparently and understandably. They want the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development to explain why the title, allegedly acquired fraudulently in 2012, has neither been officially canceled nor communicated to the affected communities.
Charles Ikabat, the LC3 Chairperson of Okore Subcounty, expressed concern over the unresolved land matter involving the Akubal family, who reportedly surveyed the land in 2012.
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Daniel Mulalu, a candidate for Ngariam County, has urged the Parliamentary Committee on Land to visit the area and resolve the Okore land conflict. He questioned why the issue has not been treated as a national priority, considering its scale and the number of people affected.
Mulalu also claimed that in 2021, a group of Katakwi leaders used a forged letter to falsely inform the community that the land title had been canceled—yet the issue remains unresolved, with surveyors still involved.
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At a burial ceremony held on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, Raymond Odeke, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Vice Chairperson for Katakwi District, accused LC3 Chairperson Charles Ikabat of failing to protect community land and concealing facts about the Okore land issue.
Speaking as the chief mourner at the burial of the late Mary Amulen, a resident of Adungulu, Ocuin, Odeke urged residents to speak out against what he described as a politically motivated land scandal in Katakwi.
Odeke, who is also a lawyer, former LCV aspirant, and former LC3 chairperson of Usuk Subcounty, referenced his time in office, when, alongside other local leaders such as William Omeke of Ongogonja, they resisted attempts by politicians to grab land from Usuk and Ongogonja communities.
He questioned why the Okore land title remains a matter of contention, claiming that some politicians have submitted fraudulent documents indicating the title was canceled, even though this appears not to be the case.
The contested land in Atapar Village, Okore Subcounty, was reportedly leased to the three individuals—Akubal, Okubu, and Titin—on February 7, 2019. Odeke called upon churches to pray over the issue and for Members of Parliament to take action.
Emma Olinga
Freelancer