By Aggrey Baba
The Kapeeka land mediation model pioneered under Gen Salim Saleh is being proposed for replication in every corner of Uganda as part of a nationwide effort to end persistent land conflicts between landlords and Bibanja holders, resolve historical long-running injustices and prevent disputes from escalating into community hostility.
In the proposed Consociational Democracy Agreement authored by Professor Ogenga Otunnu, in collaboration with his boss Gen Salim Saleh, the Kapeeka Land Bank Committee is identified as evidence that longstanding land disputes can be resolved through mediation, proper documentation and cooperation between landlords and occupants.
The paper highlights the work of the Namunkekera committee, established in 2023 under Saleh’s guidance, which has handled disputes involving contested boundaries, access roads, lease claims and competing land interests.
One of its major achievements has been the establishment of a land bank register covering five parishes.
In Kapeeka Parish alone, the register identified 378 landlords and 1,714 Bibanja holders across 23 villages.
The Operation Wealth Creation boss now wants this approach extended beyond Kapeeka, with cultural institutions, Local Council (LC) structures, district authorities and existing land mediation mechanisms brought together to resolve conflicts at village, parish and district levels.
The paper also proposes targeted interventions to address historical and contemporary land injustices, including outstanding grievances involving cultural institutions.
The authors argue that political reconciliation cannot be meaningful while families and communities remain trapped in bitter land ownership disputes.
Rather than relying on political declarations about unity, Saleh wants practical mechanisms established to settle actual disputes, document competing land interests and prevent conflicts from dragging on for decades. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
