Three-decade land wrangle ends after family transfers 8.6 acres to Busoga Diocese

A decades-long land dispute between Ngandho Primary School and the Church of Uganda has ended after the family of the late Yeremiya Katoto and Yeremiya Bagiire formally donated 8.6 acres of land to Busoga Diocese, resolving years of tension over the shared church and school premises in Buyende District.

The land title was officially handed over to the Bishop of Busoga Diocese, Grace Lubaale, during a Saturday ceremony attended by church leaders, education officials and local residents.

Speaking on behalf of the family, John Bagiire said the donation fulfilled the vision of his grandfather, Yeremiya Katoto, and his father, Yeremiya Bagiire, who were among the pioneers of education and Christianity in the area.

“My father, Yeremiya Bagiire, was a primary school teacher who established this school in 1958, following in the footsteps of my grandfather, Yeremiya Katoto, who was a catechist. He initially constructed a grass-thatched church to promote education and foster spiritual growth. We are grateful that their aspirations have been realized,” he said.

Bagiire said the family consulted the Ministry of Education before processing the land title and urged residents to focus on development rather than disputes that have historically affected the community.

He also cautioned the church against selling the donated land.

Buyende District Education Officer Dison Bwire described the donation as a major achievement for the education sector, noting that the family worked closely with officials from the Ministry of Education to ensure proper documentation before the handover.

“The donation of the land title is a significant achievement, and we appreciate the efforts made by the family to secure proper ownership documentation,” Bwire said.

Local leaders welcomed the move, saying it would promote harmony between the church and the school after years of disagreement over ownership and use of the land.

Bishop Lubaale described the donation as a landmark moment for the Church of Uganda and said it would strengthen ongoing efforts to resolve similar disputes affecting schools and churches across the diocese.

“Today is a notable milestone in the life of the Church in Busoga as I witness the donation of 8.6 acres of land from the Bagiire family,” he said.

The bishop said the conflict emerged after the original Bagiire Primary School was renamed Ngandho Primary School, creating disagreements over ownership that persisted for nearly three decades.

“Sometimes over the last 30 years, there has been conflict as the community believed it was school land and wanted the church to leave, yet the two are inseparable,” he said.

Lubaale said many church land disputes stem from inadequate documentation, selfish interests and forgery, but expressed optimism that ongoing interventions would help restore stability.

“Those conflicts tend to exist in some places, and we are handling them case by case. Within two years, there will be total stability,” he said.

The donation is expected to end one of the longest-running church-school land disputes in Busoga and provide a model for resolving similar conflicts elsewhere in Uganda.