Locals who conduct stone quarry using rudimentary tools at Ibuje rock are against a decision by Apac district to give away the rock to a contractor for quarry of roads construction materials.
This follows a report that Ibuje sub-county leaders gave the rock to Sadeem Alkuwait general trading company limited for quarrying construction materials.
Ibuje rock is a historical site in Lango because it is where the famous Olum’s footprint “Tyen Olum” was discovered.
On the 24th June 2021, the locals under Awino stone quarry cooperative society wrote to the director of criminal investigations and intelligence department of the Uganda Police over alleged criminal trespass into Ibuje rock by Sadeem Alkuwait general trading company.
The company is set to carry out stone quarrying for road construction materials for the tarmacking of Rwekunye, Masindi port, Apac to Acholibur road via Kwania and Lira districts.
The letter brought to the attention of the CIID department that the rock which sits on 60 hectares of land belongs to Awino stone quarry cooperative society and 47 families grouped under the late Hon. Joseph William Okune.
The locals want the police to investigate an alleged fraud of shs 105 million which was reportedly deposited to Ibuje sub-county by Sadeem Alkuwait to allow them to conduct quarry for road materials for road construction.
The first page of the petition to the CIID
They contend that the ownership of the contested rock was well settled under a judgment given by Justice Simon Byabakama Mugenyi in a civil suit number HCT-10-CV-CS-0019 of 2012 which was delivered on the 12th February 2019.
In the ruling, Byabakama confirmed that the rock belongs to the community, not Ibuje sub-county or Apac district local government except for the ten hectares that belong to the family of the late Joseph William Okune under the lease.
Sophia Okune said recently, Sadeem Alkuwait went to the sub-county to seek permission to use the rock for road construction.
“They have started grading access roads to the rock yet members of the community whom the high court ruling came in their favor were never consulted,” she said.
Chairman LC I of Acandano village where the rock is situated Stephen Wandira said they were shocked to learn that the sub-county had given the contractor permission to conduct quarrying without their notice.
“We want the government to intervene and save us from this land grabbing,” he said.
Wandira added that the contractor has now ordered locals who used to earn their livelihood from stone quarrying to move 600 meters away from the rock now that the rock has been leased to them.
Zebidayo Odongo Ocen, a member of Awino stone quarry cooperative society told LBS that most of them earn livelihoods from stone quarrying.
Odongo adds that they can not be chased away from quarrying the rock without proper ‘compensation’.
The LC III of Ibuje sub-county Alex Ojota could not be reached for comment as he did not answer our repeated phone calls.
We reached out to the chairman LC V of Apac district Asante Odongo who said “Ibuje sub-county received the money on behalf of the locals in the trust after leasing out the rock”.
Odongo argued that no one can begin claiming ownership of a natural resource.
“You will hear them claiming ownership of the lake if we encourage it to happen, let them go to the courts of law if they are aggrieved,” he added.
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