PWDS IN YUMBE DISTRICT FACE LAND ACCESS AND OWNERSHIP CHALLENGES

Ededra Zamza, the Chairperson Yumbe District Union of Persons with Disabilities speaking as other PWDs look on. All Photos by Godwin Abedican

By Godwin Abedican
Arua City

A consortium of partners including ZOA, National Union of Persons with disability (NUDIPU), Light for the World, the Hague Academy for Local Government and VNG International have been implementing a five year program called “We Are Able” ending this year under which land rights for persons with disability has been key to advocate for land ownership among persons with disabilities.

Much as this initiative has been in place, some Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Yumbe district continue to express challenges they face while trying to access land for settlement and farming.

Under the WE ARE ABLE project, the PWDs have been empowered on self-reliance through agriculture and food production for food security at household levels.

Anguso Juma Taban, a person with physical impairment says that, before the inception of the project, they had even more challenges, although the project has given them some light on their rights to access to land or even ownership.

“We were suffering a lot in the hands of those without disability. They would always beat us even when it was our own land. Through this initiative the government has come in to register us to make sure that we get our lands titled. I am sure if they give us the titles, we shall not suffer like before. We have also been empowered to report people causing land conflicts with us to the mediators who shall help us locally. Disability should not be reason why someone’s land should be taken away”, he said in an interview.

Anguso Juma Taban, a person with physical impairment
weeding in his garden.

According to Jida Samia, 23 years old, a woman with visual impairment, they are still expected to own land through persons without disability which she says is an abuse to their rights yet they did not choose to be the way they are.

“We are not given land. We don’t have land. How we can own land is hard for us. And because I am blind, I can’t know if there is land or not. It’s my husband to know. I have tried telling him about land issues. I hire people to dig for me and I use the moneys to invest in my business which is helping me to pay school fees and take care of my home. Currently, the land I am using for farming are for my husband” she narrated.

Jida Samia, 23 Years visually impaired reacts during an interview

On his part, Yadda Muzamil, the husband and personal assistant Samia expressed challenges that he faces from his family members in wanting to have a land title secured under his name and that of his wife.

“Currently, we are living in my land. We united to be together because I believe that, the land that is mine also belongs to my wife. The woman gets land from where she is married. Many men are not willing to involve their women with disability in land matters. Even the widows are being chased on grounds that they didn’t come with land and it’s very troublesome for the women,” he said painfully.

“We wanted to register our names to get a title for my land. When I told my family members, they said there is no way we can put my wife on the top when it comes to land ownership. Tomorrow she will produce and if she is not given land where will the children settle? Much as they have disabilities, they are God’s children and need to be given what they deserve. I have now decided to maintain it between myself and my wife that we are going to get the title without involving them after all, the land I want title for is what belongs to me,” he maintained his stand.

Yadda Muzamil (Right) husband and personal assistant to Samia speaking during an interview

Meanwhile, Ededra Zamza, the Chairperson Yumbe District Union of Persons with Disabilities says that, much as the project has been able to cause a tremendous change more efforts need to be affected in line with mindset change against PWDs owning land.
“People have all along been believing that we cannot own land. Once we have a house or are given a house, they think that is all. Because of the impairments we have, they say we cannot have land, and other things. When the “We Are Able” project came in, we talked about the land rights for PWDs and there has been some significant change,” Ededra said.

“However, there is still some level of stigma towards persons with disability when it comes to accessing and ownership of land. Its now upon us as the leaders to reach every community to advocate together that, land is actually a right. Without land, how can survival be possible? PWDs are able, they can do field work if allowed to have access to and own land,” he added.

Under the we are able program, a mapping of persons with disabilities in Yumbe district who have land and need to have titles processed in their names to avoid land conflicts was done, out of which over 300 on a list submitted to NUDIPU, with an increasing demand for the same among persons with disability across the district.