Maj. Gen. Julius Oketta Facki, the Member of Parliament representing the army (UPDF) and the Emergency Director in the Office of the Prime Minister, has accused the Member of Parliament for Kilak County in Amuru district Hon Gilbert Olanya of fueling land wrangles. 

He also attributed the growing land conflicts in the district to district leaders whom he said have vested interests in Amuru land. 

Oketta made the statement while appearing before the Committee of Physical Infrastructure as part of the effort to assist the Committee in its investigations on infrastructure development.

Oketta accused Olanya of fueling the conflict by “spreading rumours that Oketa is behind the people who want to grab the disputed land” in Pailyec parish where several investors including Madhivani have already acquired chunks of land.

Oketa said that instead of calling for dialogue with the community, Olanya is inciting the people and by doing so; politicising the matter against development in the region.

The High Court in Gulu recently ordered that over 40,000 hectares of land be given to Madhvani Group of Companies to grow sugarcane and over 1,700 hectares of land be given to the Oketta and Christine Atimango, a former district employee.

Gen Oketta was among other high profile individuals who were dragged to court in 2008 by residents and were being accused of using their connections in government to grab land from the communities, an issue which was persistently been raised by local and national leaders from the region, including religious leaders and civil society.

President Yoweri Museveni in his recent State of the Nation address to Ugandans said that it was opposition leaders who had become “saboteurs of development”, and were delaying projects such as the Sugar factory in Amuru.  He said that he will not be intimidated and will stop at nothing to ensure that such development take place.