Teso Parents Urged to Abandon Discriminatory Cultural Land Practices

Parents in the Teso sub-region have been urged to stop prioritizing cultural practices that contradict the Constitution, especially in the allocation of land among children. Juliet Anango, a lawyer with Redeem International’s Soroti field office—which covers Amuria, Kaberamaido, Soroti, and Kalaki districts—said both sons and daughters are entitled to equal shares of land from their parents.

She emphasized that the Constitution recognizes equality between boys and girls, and therefore all children should inherit land equally. “Any law, rule, or cultural practice that fails to align with the Constitution is unjust,” Anango said.

“If the Constitution states that boys and girls are equal, but your cultural practice suggests that a girl is less important than a boy, then that practice is wrong,” she asserted. Anango made the remarks on June 19, 2025, during a community engagement event organized by Redeem International at Osenyi village in Kamuda Parish, Kalaki Sub County, Kaberamaido District.

She added that unless girls voluntarily agree to forgo part of their inheritance, all children should receive equal land from their parents. This message struck a chord with several parents, many of whom admitted to traditionally allocating less land to daughters than sons. Some explained that girls are usually given only a small piece of land as a fallback in case of marital challenges.

Anango, however, challenged this reasoning, asserting that married daughters are also entitled to use their land, and in case they return home, they should not be left landless. “Children who are married should be treated equally to those who stay at home,” she said. 

She also warned against the practice of uncles and other relatives grabbing land intended for daughters, stressing that girls have a legal right to inherit property. To minimize future land disputes, Anango encouraged parents to write wills.

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John Robert Tukei, the Regional Community Liaison Officer for East Kyoga, reminded the community that in the event of a husband’s death, the wife automatically becomes the heir.

According to the inheritance law, Tukei explained, the widow receives 20% of the estate, the children receive 75%, dependents receive 4%, and 1% is designated for the heir. “Let us all keep our eyes on that property, but keep our hands off,” he advised.

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Rose Atim Arimo, the Regional Child and Family Protection Officer for East Kyoga, emphasized that the Constitution must be respected in all inheritance matters.

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Kalaki Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Chris Mike Okirya, said his office is overwhelmed with land disputes, largely due to the rising population and dishonesty among community members. “We currently have three serious outstanding land cases in Otuboi, Kalaki, and Bululu sub-counties,” Okirya said. 

“These land issues require us to trust one another. We need to speak the truth about the boundaries and ownership of land.” He lauded Redeem International’s role in addressing land disputes, especially those affecting widows and orphans, and expressed optimism that the cases will reduce. The RDC urged locals to follow the law and distribute land equally among sons and daughters, noting:

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However, cultural resistance persists. Emmanuel Asaku, deputy speaker of Kalaki Sub-county and youth representative on the council, insisted that boys should receive more land since they father children who also need property. He nonetheless acknowledged that writing a will is key to resolving such disputes. 

Some residents, like Richard Ocen of Kabolo village, argued that girls should receive only 50% of what boys get, contending that daughters inherit land from their husbands’ side. Joseph Abongo from Asoro village shared that he gave four acres each to his four sons and two acres to each of his four daughters, saying daughters would access additional land through marriage. Others, however, supported the idea of equal distribution. 

Juliet Acan of Osenyi village said land should be shared equally, although she noted that girls could allow their brothers to temporarily use their portion. Elizabeth Akero, a 15-year-old from Kasore village, felt it was reasonable for girls to receive half of what boys get, because they also receive land from their marital homes.