Gulu City is going to witness drastic measures protecting Pece Water Stream wetland, or the grabbing and auctioning of Kaunda grounds under the pretext of government land.
The National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) warns that if any construction of a fuel station or entrustment by investors, they are ready to challenge the court ruling in court.
The vision Gulu City Council has for that land: Gulu City Council want to develop a modern Green Park, which has different amenities, including Ker Kwaro Acholi Museum that protects Acholi’s rich cultural heritage hubs, and construct the National Theatre, the ground that people go to have rest.
Julius Achire Labeja Gunya, standing on Mark Stone wetland boundary, indicating where wetland stresses
File Photo
GULU CITY-THURSDAY JUNE 18, 2026
By Okumu Livingstone Langol, (Uganda Correspondent)
Tension was high on Thursday mid-morning at Gulu City Council Yard. The official, a senior Land Commissioner, was roaring, demanding that the Gulu City Mayor Lead City Land Officials on a land inspection at Pece Stream Wetland.
Mildred Auma, Gulu City Communication Public Relations Officer, on the sidelines, mooted to Our Correspondent that, ideally, the Uganda Land Commission called for a stakeholder meeting for those who applied for allocation of land along the Green Valley, which covered 11 acres. Richard Todwong has an interest in investing alongside other investors.
“Richard Todwong, the NRM SG, has10 acres and Akello Joyce Lanyero has 1 acre; they have to process a deep plan. Richard Todwong applied for the land in Green Valley through Uganda Land Commission; that is why the officials from Uganda Land Commission came to meet the stakeholders. Visit the side land.
To understand what Gulu City Council want to do with the land, Gulu City Council want to develop a modern Green Pack which has different amenities, including Ker Kwaro Acholi Museum that protects Acholi’s rich cultural heritage hubs, and construct the National Theatre, the ground that people go to have rest
The senior Uganda Land Commission (ULC) visit to Gulu City’s Kaunda Ground relates to resolving a highly publicized dispute over the public recreational land. The friction involves claims between the Gulu City Council and the ULC regarding jurisdiction, allocation, and the alleged awarding of plots to private developers.
Ronnie Rahungule, Senior Land Commissioner, calls for stakeholder meetings with Gulu City officials and the applicants to update them on the state of the application; leaders accuse the Uganda Land Commission (UCL) of undermining them and bulldozing the City Physical Planning Committees and stakeholders to favor developers.
Auther Owor, Gulu City Land Board Chairperson, complained, “This kind of top-bottom approach is questionable because instead of these applicants starting their processes from here, they are running to ULC.”
Owor added that it worries him that more applications are coming, and more individuals are demanding the land. In December 2025, when we were in the meeting, we were introduced to 3 applicants, but we are shocked to learned that the numbers have increased to 16 applicants, including the city Council, disclosing according to the town Clerk
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The former Gateway Nasury Children school, was chased way from the wetland of Pece streams, now this place is for grab,
Photo by Okumu Livingstone Langol
Okello Patrick, City Mayor, Bardege-Layibi Gulu West City Division, dismisses the calls of applicants who used state machinery from Kampala, outlining that Gulu City want to use the entire Green Belt, and all these applicants take 18 acres away, leaving us with nothing.
Gulu City Division advises ULC to organize another meeting in which all applicants are summoned so that when the stakeholders go for inspection, these individuals will show us their plots.
“We want to know them physically because 17 acres is very alarming for the investment to take place in a degazetted wetland; we are seeing what took place in Kampala, where almost 70% of the wetland has been encroached upon, moving to Gulu City.” Okello Patrick warned.
Okello Patrick, in a dejected mood, encounter Senior Land Commissioner, by disclosing that Gulu City needs the land title to benefit from UCMISD beautification project at Kaunda Ground and Pece Steam Green Park, revealed that in Financial Year 2025/2026, the government passed the budget for Gulu City to access the UGX 2.7 trillion programs, the condition was that Gulu City must provide land title to processes the funds.
“For fear that Gulu City does not lose that UGX 2.7 trillion, it could miss the Billion-Dollar opportunity.” Okello Patrick elaborated
Julius Achire Labeja Gunya, Gulu City Mayor, was at pain taking, argued the Uganda Land Commissioner and other stakeholder who were demanding to go on a land inspection. Demanding that, as Gulu City Mayor, he wants all the 16 applicants who applied for land at Green Valley, Kaunda Ground to be present.
“I want all the 16 applicants to be here. When we are going on a land inspection, each person should stand in his plot of land. Now, if we are to go, where are those applicants? I only see two people who applied. During the January 15 election, I was hearing people talking about NRM SG. Richard Todwong said that he has acquired all the land in Kaunda Ground; what about those Dick and Tom names? Where do they originate”
Gulu City Mayor insisted, for me I want to be part of a compartment of 16 applicants, because as Gulu City Mayor we have also lodged our application to develop Green Valley Kaunda Ground. There are names of many Ugandans who have applied for government land. When I was campaigning, I heard the name of Richard Todwong acquiring land in Kaunda Ground; we need to discuss this where Gulu City indeed needs to do beautification on the physical plan.
Ambrose Onroria, Gulu City Residence Commission, came up with a different version, arguing with the Senior Land Commissioner and other stakeholders, that if I were the one in charge of the City Council, I will disqualify all the applicants who applied for the land in Kaunda Ground.
“I am telling you today that there was a lot that was not happening; we solved the issues of those who were applying for money; we have UGX 800 million for those who want to sell their land. We need to protect our people, even you, the Senior Land Commissioner, know what is happening in Kampala, where people are being kept in the basement.” Gulu City Residence Commissioner warned.
Henry Komakech Kilama, Gulu City Land Commission official, asked what we can do when we go for land site visitation, when the majority of the 16 applicants are not present; are we ready to go and inspect the land?
“We have the gaps, because the applicants who applied for the land allocation are not there.” K. Kilama Henry asked
Okello Patrick, Gulu City West City Division Bardege-Layibi, asked a tricky question: who applied, and why do we want to go there?
“As mayor for Gulu West City Division, technically we got all applications on December 8, 2025. He wants to understand the interest of Gulu City Council first.”
Gulu City Town Clerk Innocent Ahimbisibwe, his argument, we have planning authority; they have come, for us, even if you are given a land title, the convening of this meeting is the Uganda Land Commission. As I am an applicant as Gulu City authority, the Mayor of Gulu City should go to see the land we have applied for when I was not there.
Those who want this Gulu City for someone to be there, move behind me if you want other applicants; Ugandans will come.
After the Gulu City Town Clerk gave the directive to all the stakeholders who were inside the Gulu City Council Yard, all the stakeholders, including journalists present, went to Green Valley, Kaunda ground that covered Pece Wetland stream.
Olanya Stephen, the area Local Councilor 1 of Green Valley when the Senior Land Commissioner upon reaching Green Valley, he pointed right from the entry of the junction road of Kaunda ground, the land in question stresses up to Senya bell supper market from South part, while from beginning of Pece steam, across the valley, where Green Valley Gateway’s Nursery children school was, up to Education center, the land is for grab.
Alfred Okello, Gulu City Landscape Developers, expressed fears that Gulu City could lose the World Bank Funds Project, arguing that his fears follow the undermining and the protestations by the private developers who have applied to ULC seeking titles to the entire Green Valley and Kaunda Grounds; a city requirement to benefit from Gulu City this must.
