Lango West Diocese has taken matters of Aduku seed secondary school to court, following conflict with Kwania district over ownership of the school. The school is among sixty-nine seed schools built by the government under Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers Program-UGIFT.
The school was handed over to the community of Aduku sub-county on March 16, 2022, by Denis Hamson Obua, the State minister for Sports.
However, the Lango West Diocese leadership claims the new school sits on 15 acres of land belonging to the church. On the same land is Aboko Primary School.
The Church seeks to take over the school as the founding body.
Acan and Advocates has filed a suit on behalf of West Lango before Aduku Magistrate’s court accusing Kwania district Local Government of encroaching on their land.
They claim that the land which was previously owned by Otengoro, Atek and Laki clans was given to the church in 1956 and part of the land was used to put up Aboko P7 school. They claim that the 15 acres of the land were used for the establishment of the seed school without their consent.
Aduku Grade I Magistrate’s Court has scheduled the matter for hearing next month.
Sheila Gloria Atim, the Aduku Grade One magistrate paid a visit to the school last week, to inspect the boundaries but met resistance from the residents of the neighboring school.
Bernard Opolot Apollo, Kwania District Deputy Chief Administrative Officer blames the land wrangle on selfish interests by the Anglican Church. He said that the district is exploring all avenues to ensure the case is ruled in its favor.
According to Augustine Onac, the LCI chairperson of Alyet village, the contested land belongs to the community. He said the land was given to the church by the community in 1956. He says the community as the primary owners of the land, gave part of it for the establishment of the seed school.
Jesinta Adongo, Sam Opyene and James Alele Lubega, all residents of Aduku sub-county wondered why the Anglican church ran to court claiming land ownership after the school was commissioned.
Geoffrey Eling Owera, the Kwania LC V Vice-chairperson says that trouble started when the West Lango diocese petitioned the district in December 2021 to sign an MoU with them over the school ownership.
Eling revealed that the Anglican Church is involved in fights over ten schools in the district over ownership, a situation caused by weak laws enacted by the Parliament in 2008