By Ambrose Okwanga
Lira City, Uganda: A long running land dispute has emerged as a major obstacle to the proposed development of the Anai Airport in Lira City, with the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) warning that ongoing court proceedings could derail plans to establish the facility.
In a letter dated May 25, 2026, addressed to the Director National Chamber of commerce and industry Lango region, UCAA Director General, Olive Birungi Lumonya said the authority remains committed to engaging local leaders and stakeholders on the proposed airfield project. However, she noted that legal challenges surrounding the land earmarked for the development have complicated the process.
The letter was in response to earlier correspondence from the Chamber of Commerce dated February 11, 2026, as well as discussions held at Entebbe International Airport on January 7, 2026.
According to UCAA, plans to convene a stakeholders’ meeting in Lira City have been affected by legal disputes over the ownership of the land intended for the airfield.
Birungi revealed that the authority received a court document from the High Court in Lira through Okwii and Company Advocates on February 20, 2026, concerning a case filed by 68 claimants challenging the acquisition of the land.
She warned that developments arising from the case could negatively affect efforts to establish the proposed airfield, potentially delaying a project viewed as critical to the region’s economic transformation.
Copies of the UCAA letter were also sent to the Minister of Works and Transport, Members of Parliament for Lira City East and West Divisions, the Lira City Mayor, Town Clerk, Resident City Commissioner (RCC), and other senior officials within the authority.
Reacting to the development, Lira City Chamber of Commerce Chairperson Fred Doi expressed disappointment, saying the letter suggested that some individuals were using court processes to frustrate an investment project that would benefit the wider Lango sub-region.
Doi argued that although the land claimants fear losing their property and livelihoods, the proposed airfield would create opportunities for future generations and spur economic growth in the region.
He urged the Paramount Chief of the Lango Cultural Institution, Eng. Dr. Moses Michael Odongo Okune, to intervene and engage the affected landowners to understand their concerns and help find an amicable solution.
“This is the time for the Paramount Chief to demonstrate leadership. Lango has entrusted him with authority, and he should help resolve issues that threaten development projects in the region,” Doi said.
Speaking separately, the spokesperson of the Lango Cultural Institution, Patrick Okwir, said the institution would soon organize a meeting to examine the matter and determine the best way forward.
Okwir noted that the proposed airfield would create jobs, boost business activity, and enhance investment opportunities in Lango. He questioned why some residents were opposed to surrendering land for a project intended to improve their livelihoods.
He pledged to present the concerns to the Paramount Chief and facilitate discussions aimed at resolving the dispute before reporting back to UCAA.
The controversy first gained public attention in April 2026 when Lira City Woman MP Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng accused some individuals of spreading misinformation that UCAA and the Lira City Land Board were illegally grabbing land for the proposed Milton Obote Airport project.
Aceng argued that opposition to the project was being driven by selfish interests and misinformation, insisting that all legal procedures were being followed. She called for the airfield project to proceed, noting that it would complement the region’s growing economic activities, including preparations linked to the forthcoming Akii-Bua Stadium.
Court records indicate that on February 20, 2026, a group of 68 landowners from Anai Ward in Lira City, Akalo Town Council and Akalo Sub-county in Kole District filed a case through lawyer Hamis Obua of Okwii and Company Advocates. The claimants allege that the area marked by UCAA for the airfield was expanded from approximately 1,036 acres to 1,285 acres, encroaching on additional land in Akalo Town Council and Akalo Sub-county without proper consultation.
Following the filing, the High Court in Lira directed UCAA and the Lira City Land Board to respond to the claims within 15 days, warning that the case could proceed in their absence if no response was filed.