Supreme Court resolves 27.3-acre land dispute after 36 years 

The Supreme Court in Kampala has ended a 36-year land dispute involving 27.3 acres after the parties reached a settlement through appellate mediation.

The dispute, which entered Uganda’s justice system in 1990, was resolved through mediation led by Supreme Court Justice Lady Justice Prof. Lillian Tibatemwa-Ekirikubinza under Mediation Cause No. 4 of 2026, arising from Civil Appeal No. 23 of 2025.

The land conflict began in 1990 when the parties first attempted to settle the matter through traditional dispute-resolution mechanisms. However, the disagreements persisted for decades, eventually leading to litigation before the High Court in Kabale in 2015.

The case later moved to the Court of Appeal before reaching the Supreme Court, prolonging a dispute that had remained unresolved for more than three decades.

At the Supreme Court, the parties chose appellate mediation, allowing them to negotiate an agreement with the guidance of a judicial mediator instead of waiting for a court judgment.

Under the settlement agreement, the respondent will retain 14 acres of the disputed 27.3 acres, while the remaining land will be shared among the appellants.

The agreement also resolves three other pending matters arising from the same dispute that had remained before lower courts.

The settlement demonstrates the growing importance of mediation as an alternative dispute-resolution mechanism in Uganda’s judicial system, particularly in handling lengthy land disputes.

Unlike traditional litigation, where a court determines the rights of parties through a ruling, mediation gives disputing parties an opportunity to directly negotiate terms that are acceptable to all sides.

At the conclusion of the mediation process, Prof. Francis Bwengye, one of the lawyers representing a party in the case, thanked Justice Tibatemwa-Ekirikubinza for guiding the parties towards a mutually agreed settlement.

Prof. Bwengye praised the judge for listening to both sides, facilitating discussions and allowing the parties to reach an agreement without imposing a decision on them.

He also commended her patience and guidance throughout the mediation process.

The mediation session was also attended by HW Alex Mushabe, Private Legal Secretary to the Chief Justice, who had earlier presided over the pre-mediation meeting.

The resolution brings to an end a land dispute that passed through traditional settlement efforts, the High Court, Court of Appeal, and finally, the Supreme Court.

For the parties involved, the agreement ends decades of uncertainty over ownership and use of the contested land while highlighting the role of mediation in reducing prolonged litigation and easing pressure on courts.