By James Innocent
Authorities in Yei River County on Monday convened a one-day dialogue on land rights and policy.
The event brought together bringing together local government officials, traditional leaders, elders, and landowners to address land distribution, ownership, and urban planning.
Speaking at the meeting, the Commissioner of Yei River County, Emmanuel Taban Seme, commended traditional leaders and elders for attending the dialogue, describing their participation as critical to peace and development.
He said 2026 would be a year focused on development, underscoring the need for a comprehensive social survey to guide land allocation.
Commissioner Seme emphasized that residents who have lived in Yei for a long time—regardless of ethnic background—should have the right to own land, noting that inclusive land policies would help prevent future disputes.
He also urged Boma land committees to work closely with Payam administrations to reduce misunderstandings and improve coordination.
The Paramount Chief of the area praised landowners for accepting town demarcation initiatives, saying the process would bring positive change and orderly development to Yei.
Hillary Lugala Godo noted that the county belongs to the people of Yei and stressed that all citizens should enjoy fair access to land through transparent demarcation processes.
He added that Yei is expected to be zoned in the future, making a clear land management policy essential to protect community land rights. He called on local authorities to provide financial support to the housing department to facilitate demarcation.
Former Yei Town Payam Director Araba Na Fox welcomed the dialogue, describing it as an important step toward accountability in plot distribution. She applauded elders for prioritizing allocations to local communities to reduce corruption and ensure fairness before allocating land to others.
Able Sebit commended the commissioner for engaging landowners on responsible land distribution and appealed to county leadership to allocate land within the town for broader community needs.
Meanwhile, Lowuya Morris, the Executive Chief acting as land chairperson, advised landlords to uphold professionalism and integrity in land division, warning against corrupt practices.
Elder Charles Lugala said regular dialogue and social surveys are essential to preventing land-related conflicts.
He further urged the government to accelerate land demarcation across Yei River County to unlock development opportunities, noting that investors are ready to engage if clear land systems are in place.
Participants concluded the dialogue by calling for continued collaboration between government institutions, traditional authorities, and communities to ensure equitable land governance and sustainable development in Yei.