Residents Protest Soroti Flying School Boundary Opening

The planned boundary demarcation at the East African Civil Aviation Academy, commonly known as Soroti Flying School, has been put on hold due to protests from residents and their leaders. The academy reportedly began the boundary marking in August 2024 without involving the neighboring community or local leaders, leading to concerns about the safety and ownership of their land.

Simon Peter Olukol, a resident of Madera Central Ward near the academy, alleges that the institution misled the community by claiming they were merely opening boundaries while extending them onto community land. He claims the academy hired private surveyors to place boundary markers on the land without any consultation. 

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Alfred Martin Aruo, the former mayor of Soroti Municipal Council, recalls a similar situation in 2013 when the academy conducted boundary opening and fenced off part of the land around the runway. At that time, the council and the institution agreed to maintain the fenced area as property of the East African Civil Aviation Authority. 

However, Aruo is now surprised that the academy is repeating the exercise, placing boundary markers without informing the community or local leaders. The current survey reportedly affects more than 35 families in the Madera, Campswahili, Aminit, and Kichinjaji wards.

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A meeting was organized by Soroti Resident City Commissioner (RCC), Peter Pex Paak, to address the issue. During this meeting, both residents and officials from Soroti Flying School claimed ownership of the land, with titles reportedly annexed to the institution. 

Yusuf Omodo, a representative of the Soroti Flying School management, said he would convey the meeting's feedback to the top management. He mentioned that the management would respond to all the concerns raised during another meeting scheduled for Friday, although he faced heckling during the discussion.

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The RCC has since suspended the boundary marking exercise to facilitate a harmonious resolution between both parties.

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Established in 1971 under the Directorate of Civil Aviation of the then East African Community, the East African Civil Aviation Academy was later merged with Uganda's Ministry of Works and Transport in 1985. The academy offers various courses, including Flight Training, Aircraft Maintenance Engineering, and Flight Operations. 

However, it has faced ongoing land disputes due to land sales and encroachments. In 2022, State Minister of Works Musa Ecweru noted that some individuals had encroached on the academy's land, calling for eviction to allow the academy's planned expansion, particularly of its runway. The academy has since announced its expansion plans, but much of the targeted land has already been developed by individuals and other institutions.