KUMI, Uganda — The Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Kumi District, James Kyomya, has successfully mediated and resolved two long-standing family land disputes in Ongino Sub-county, bringing relief to families that had been divided for years.
One of the disputes involved the family of the late Robert Imalingat of Kachoso Village, Kachaboi Parish. For many years, members of the family had been embroiled in bitter disagreements over the sharing of their late father’s land.
According to reports, Imalingat had three children born from relationships outside marriage and had secured land intended to support them. However, conflict arose when one of the children, together with her mother, allegedly attempted to claim the entire estate, leaving the other siblings without their share.
The matter had earlier been taken to ActionAid Uganda, which attempted to mediate a settlement based on the deceased’s will and resolutions from a clan meeting held on July 13, 2012. However, the efforts failed to produce a lasting solution.
In November 2025, the organization referred the matter to the Office of the Resident District Commissioner in Kumi. Deputy RDC Kyomya then summoned key stakeholders, including local leaders, clan heads, family members, the petitioner, and the accused, for a fact-finding and harmonization meeting at his office.
Kyomya later convened a locus meeting at the disputed land, where community elders, clan leaders, local authorities, and residents gathered to assess the situation on the ground.
By the end of the meeting, the long-running dispute was resolved. Clan leaders guided the family in demarcating land boundaries for each beneficiary, ensuring that every child received a fair share of their late father’s estate.
During the meeting, Kyomya urged the family members to embrace reconciliation and unity for the sake of their development and the stability of the community.
Within the same week, the Deputy RDC also mediated another land dispute involving the family of the late Eguripasio in Ameria Cell, Amuria Ward in Ongino Town Council. That conflict was also resolved peacefully through dialogue involving family members, elders, and local leaders.
Kyomya commended the role played by clan leaders, community elders, and local authorities in Kachoso Village for upholding transparency and truthfulness in handling the land matters.
He also used the opportunity to encourage parents to ensure their children return to school for the new academic term and provide them with the necessary scholastic materials.
The Deputy RDC further urged community members to take advantage of government programs aimed at improving livelihoods, including the **Parish Development Model (PDM), **Emyooga funds, and youth empowerment initiatives.
Local residents welcomed the intervention, saying the resolution of the disputes would restore peace and unity within the affected families and the wider community.
