Lunyiri council moves to secure land for police station

1 October 2026, 10:55 pm

By Geoffrey Okwong

 Lunyiri Subcounty leaders in Pader District have moved to secure additional land for the establishment of a subcounty police station and officers’ accommodation as police push to strengthen the subcounty policing model.

The move follows a request by Pader District Police Commander (DPC) SP Jackson Bogere for the Lunyiri Subcounty Council to formally resolve the land issue and allocate land to the Inspector General of Police to pave the way for construction.

Addressing the council on Wednesday, Bogere said although he had been informed that land had been allocated to police, he had not seen formal documentation showing that the council had formally resolved to allocate the land.

He asked the council to use its sitting to discuss and resolve the matter, saying a formal council resolution was necessary before the construction process could proceed.

“By procedure it must be through council to resolve,” Bogere told the council.

Responding to the DPC, Lunyiri Subcounty LC III Chairperson Charles Odongtoo clarified that the subcounty already owns 5.7 acres of titled land, which is available for government development.

Odongtoo said the subcounty is separately handling negotiations with owners of another two acres of land that local leaders have identified as suitable for police development.

He said the discussions are aimed at securing a possible transfer of the additional land to the subcounty, with the owners to be compensated after the transfer arrangements are completed.

He said local leaders had already held three meetings over the proposed two-acre piece of land and had prepared documents relating to the process.

Odongtoo said the subcounty was ready to continue engaging the landowners and other stakeholders to resolve the matter.

The two-acre proposal is therefore separate from the 5.7 acres already titled in the name of the subcounty and remains subject to the ongoing discussions and formal transfer process with the landowners.

Odongtoo also welcomed the police’s involvement in strengthening security at the subcounty, saying local leaders alone could not effectively manage all security situations.

Bogere said the Uganda Police Force was seeking to decentralise policing services by bringing them closer to communities through the subcounty policing model.

He said all 23 subcounties in Pader District now have police establishments, but challenges remain in areas such as accommodation, office space and transport.

The DPC said the Inspector General of Police was considering deploying three motorcycles to each subcounty, although the available motorcycles remain insufficient to cover the large number of villages and parishes.

Bogere urged councillors to work closely with police by sharing information about emerging security threats in their respective areas and mobilising communities to support security efforts.

He said councillors, because of their close contact with residents, should not view security as the sole responsibility of police.

The DPC also called on local leaders to help protect government programmes and assets received by beneficiaries, including livestock and other items provided through government interventions.

He urged councillors to report suspected theft, conflicts and misuse of government-supported assets to police and other relevant authorities.

Bogere said police were willing to work with the council but appealed for stronger cooperation between security agencies, local government leaders and communities in addressing security challenges.

The council is expected to continue handling the land discussions and, once the necessary arrangements are completed, formally resolve the allocation to facilitate the planned police development.