Challenges Facing Uganda Police Land Desks in Managing Conflicts in Wakiso and Mukono Districts

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to examine the challenges facing Uganda police land desks in managing conflicts in Wakiso and Mukono districts. Methodology: The research was guided by a cross sectional and descriptive survey research designs which involving both qualitative and quantitative studies. The study population consisted of community members in Wakiso and Mukono districts who were affected by (victims of) land conflicts; Police land desks officials and the district land boards with purposive and stratified sampling used to select them. A sample of 385 respondents was used and questionnaires, interview guides, focus group discussion and documentary review were used to collect data with both SPSS and content analysis was used to analyze the field data. Findings: it was found out that there was corruption on the side of police land desk officers as represented with (mean=4.74, strongly agreed). findings revealed from Mukono and Wakiso district there was lack of professional training by land desk officers in land matters as represented with (mean= 4.65, strongly agreed). Further findings revealed that there was lack of enough financial resources was as follows (mean=4.45, strongly agreed). After analysis findings revealed that 38.1 % of respondent attributed to poor administration of the desk, 23.8% corruption, 19% lack of facilitation, 9.5% low salaries, 4.8% to communication gap and money transaction used by the ring leaders in causing conflicts and distorting peace. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study findings would shed light on how police land desks are developing and identify the determinants of this development, and the implication of the development processes on land conflict management. Additionally, the findings will help in understanding the bases of land conflicts, and by unbundling these land conflicts by type, the study will shed light on the comparative impact of different conflict types on national budget. After the findings, this thesis will commend necessary policy options that will bind the benefits of police land desks, boost available laws, and restrain land conflicts.