Gulu’s Shs6b greening project at risk as developers scramble for Kaunda Grounds land

The heightened demand for portions of Kaunda Grounds and neighbouring Green Valley by several developers could cost Gulu City its Shs6 billion greening project, the Monitor has learnt.

Mr Alfred Okello, the Gulu City Landscape Officer, expressed fears that the city administration could lose the World Bank-funded project following growing interest and protestations by private developers who have applied to the Uganda Land Commission seeking ownership of nearly 65 per cent of the total land.

Two years ago, the city council submitted its application to ULC seeking a title for the entire Green Valley land at Kaunda Grounds, a key requirement to benefit from the Uganda Support for Cities and Municipal Infrastructure Development project.

According to Mr Okello, the protestations and delays in granting the city’s application could see the project slip away.

“With that World Bank project, any slight interruptions, they will withdraw from here and redirect the money elsewhere,” he said.

“At the introduction of the UCMID project, we were asked to identify an area for the greening project, and we identified that area. We were given the opportunity to produce a green park design with an attachment of Shs6bn,” Mr Okello stated.

Once complete, the park will boast of a museum to preserve Acholi culture, an amphitheater, and spice gardens, among other facilities.

Two days ago, a ULC delegation led by Senior Lands Officer Ronnie Bahungule met Gulu City officials and the applicants to update them on the status of the applications. During the engagement, leaders accused ULC of bulldozing the city’s Physical Planning Committee and Land Board to favour developers.

“This kind of top-bottom approach is questionable because instead of these applicants starting their processes from here, they are running to ULC,” Mr Arthur Owor, the Gulu City Land Board chairperson, said.

“It is worrying that more applications are coming and more individuals are demanding the land. In the last meeting in early December 2025, we were introduced to three applicants, but we are shocked today to learn that the numbers have climbed to 16, including the city council,” Mr Owor stated.

Wondering how ULC received and validated 12 more applications in less than eight months, Mr Owor claimed the commission had sidelined the city’s land management structures and prioritised individuals.

Early this month, ULC wrote to Gulu City authorities stating that several people had applied for leases and their requests were granted upon inspection.

“As part of the procedure associated with processing leases at the Commission, inspection in respect of the land was carried out and the applicants were allocated the land accordingly,” Mr Andrew Nyumba, the ULC secretary, wrote to the City Town Clerk.

Daily Monitor established that when ULC requested deed plans from the Gulu Land Ministry Zonal Office, it was informed that Gulu City Council had an interest in the same land, halting the lease process.

ULC records show 15 applicants including NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong, who applied for four acres, and 14 others seeking one acre each.

Leaders demanded ULC postpone the meeting since only two private applicants attended.

“The city has applied to use the entire green belt, and all these applications take 18 acres away, leaving us with largely nothing. Organise another meeting in which all applicants are summoned so that when we go for inspection, they show us their plots,” Mr Patrick Okello, Bardege-Layibi Division mayor, demanded.

“We want to know them physically because 17 acres have been applied for, part of it 11 acres sit in a wetland gazetted by the Environment ministry,” Mr Okello added.

The city needs the title to benefit from UCMID beautification projects at Kaunda Grounds and Pece stream Green Park in FY 2025/2026. For a city to access the Shs2.7 trillion program, it must prove land ownership.

Leaders implored ULC to speed up the city’s title processing over fears Gulu could miss the multi-billion opportunity.

Key conditions for financing are valid land titles for all project sites to confirm ownership and allow smooth implementation without disputes.

During the meeting, Ms Claire Acen Olal confirmed she applied for an acre pending Physical Planning Committee approval, while Mr Brian Cana, representing Mr Todwong, admitted they applied for four acres.

In a previous interview, Mr Todwong said he suspended his interest following an ownership dispute between ULC and Gulu City Land Board.

“We are waiting for the resolution because if ownership is the problem, ULC claim it is theirs, and the city claims the same, that renders any allocation null and void until resolved,” Mr Todwong stated. He clarified he sought the land to establish a leisure park.

Mr Bahungule said ULC had received and allotted the applications but title processing depended on the city’s Physical Planning Committee.

“The commission has received all applications, and now it cannot proceed without the Physical Planning comment. What we are waiting for are comments that will determine whether these applications pass, fail or collapse,” Mr Bahungule stated.

“We are not saying we went ahead to give them the land; we can survey, but that is subject to Physical Planning Committee comments,” he added.

He tasked city authorities to scrutinise applicants’ development plans to ensure they match the city’s physical development plan.

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