Newly appointed State Minister for Primary Health Care Sarah Achieng Opendi is under spotlight for allegedly instigating the long-standing border dispute between Mbale and Budaka districts.
Disgruntled residents of Bungokho in Mbale have accused Opendi of being behind the land conflict that has so far claimed more than 16 lives since it started in 2003. Until her recent appointment during a cabinet reshuffle on August 15, the Woman MP for Tororo District had been serving as State Minister for Lands.
Ahamada Washaki, the Bungohko Local Council Three chairperson, is among those who are bitter with Opendi, accusing her of conniving with residents of Budaka district to grab their land.
According to Washaki, Opendi used her ministerial position push the people of Budaka to reject a Uganda map drawn in 1962 during the surveying of the land in question.
He claims that Opendi rejected the map that was presented by the commissioner for lands and instead preferred to use the one that does not show physical features.
//Cue in: “But unfortunately when…
Cue out: …she was biased.”//
Washaki says her decision has since instigated violence with the parties in the dispute threatening one another. He says Opendi’s decision supported residents of Budaka who have since continued to use the land after government stopped both parties from using it.
Opendi has not yet commented on the allegation as she was not picking repeated calls.
Danson Kabera, a resident of Kamonkoli in Budaka who is using the land, insists that the land belongs to them. He says that they will continue using the land unless it is demarcated.
But Washaki blames their continuous use of the land to security officials in Mbale and Budaka including the office of the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) and Regional Police Commander, who he accused of failing to effect a resolution that was reached at during a meeting in December last year.
Washaki says the meeting attended by officials from the Lands Ministry and that of Local Government among others, resolved that people should stay away from the land until surveyors finish their work of survey and demarcation.
//Cue in: “With us we…
Cue out: …honoring the resolutions.”//
Residents of Bungokho have accordingly petitioned government to intervene and stop locals in Budaka from using the land or else they will be forced to fight them.
Washaki says should government not react immediately, people are ready to demonstrate and pitch camp at the office of the RDC in Mbale until the border conflict is resolved.
//Cue in: “If they don’t…
Cue out: …may do something.”//
Emmanuel Mitala, the Deputy RDC Mbale, says government is considering starting a sensitization exercise of the residents before the actual demarcation starts.
The area under dispute is mainly a wetland that covers Bungokho and Bukasakya sub-counties in Mbale and Mugiti and Kamonkoli sub-counties in Budaka district. Locals use the land mainly for rice farming.
Since 2003, when the conflict started, more than 16 people have died in the clashes. Last month President Yoweri Museveni directed the Lands and Local Government ministries to ensure the matter is resolved as soon as possible.
