Farmers living within the Wadelai Irrigation Scheme in Pakwach District face possible eviction by October 30, 2026, as district authorities move to remove residential structures from land reserved for agricultural production.
The district project focal person, Benedette Awori, says the Chief Administrative Officer has already written to farmers, directing them to demolish their temporary structures and vacate the project area before the deadline.
Awori has appealed to neighbouring communities to help the affected farmers find rental accommodation or alternative land on which to build homes.
According to local leaders, farmers from across the West Nile region and parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo have settled near their fields, erecting temporary structures along access roads intended for monitoring irrigation infrastructure.
The farmers are seeking to live closer to their gardens to ease access to their daily agricultural activities. However, district authorities say residential settlements within the scheme threaten its intended purpose of supporting agricultural production.
Pakwach District Chairperson Shaban Ofoi Kinobe has urged the farmers to use the remaining time to vacate voluntarily, warning that authorities will remove structures belonging to those who remain after the deadline. Ofoi has appealed to the Ministry of Water and Environment to provide graders to demolish the structures and clear the affected areas.
The Resident District Commissioner, Nsubuga Bweyayo, has called on local leaders to mobilise residents to participate in the irrigation scheme, saying it could improve household incomes and help reduce poverty.
The district authorities are urging farmers to comply with the directive as preparations continue to clear residential structures from the irrigation project area-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
