The struggle over land in Acholi Northern Uganda

Thesis (M.A.) from the year 2016 in the subject Politics - Topic: Development Politics grade: Merit London School of Economics (Department of International Development) course: MSc International Development and Humanitarian Emergencies language: English abstract: Beneath the surface of a seemingly resolved post-conflict landscape in Acholi Northern Uganda simmers a cauldron of land disputes threatening to unravel the fragile threads of social cohesion and economic recovery. This compelling study delves into the heart of these conflicts moving beyond simplistic narratives that solely blame the LRA civil war for the region's woes. It argues that the root cause lies in the deep-seated incongruity between traditional Acholi land tenure systems - steeped in customary practices and communal ownership - and the imposed framework of modern state land administration a clash that echoes across much of sub-Saharan Africa. Journey through the historical evolution of land tenure in Uganda witnessing the gradual erosion of traditional systems under the weight of centralized governance and its formalization of land ownership. Explore the nuanced dynamics of Acholi's land institutions both traditional and modern and uncover how their competing logics fuel disputes over ownership boundaries and resource access. Unearth the complexities of government land acquisition the challenges of registering customary land and the often-inadequate mechanisms for land dispute resolution. This investigation sheds light on the often-overlooked struggles of women to secure their land rights within a system grappling with modernization and tradition and highlights the impact of land disputes on the very fabric of Acholi social identity and cultural heritage. Discover how land far from being merely an economic asset serves as a cornerstone of Acholi identity connecting communities to their ancestral past and shaping their future prospects. This insightful analysis offers a critica