The State versus the People: Socio- Political Conflicts over Land Tenure Rights in Mt. Elgon National Park in Eastern Uganda

Abstract

In many parts of the world, management of protected areas has been criticized for ignoring local communities' land tenure rights and resource use. This has in the long run led to land- related socio-political conflicts between the state and the respective local communities. Looking at the available studies, most of the scholars seem to have focused their attention to how the environment and wild life can be protected from the local communities around and near such areas. Such studies have not analyzed the conflicts between agents of the state and local communities over land tenure rights around the protected areas. Focusing on Mt. Elgon National Park in Eastern Uganda, this paper analyses the genesis of protected areas in Uganda to establish the origin of conflict over land between the local people and wildlife authorities who protect this park. The findings reveal that protectionist park policies have resulted into land tenure insecurity which has exacerbated socio- political conflicts between park officials and the local people. It further shows that these conflicts are as a result of the negative livelihood effects that have been inflicted on the local people as a result of land tenure insecurities especially at the edge of Mt. Elgon National Park in Eastern Uganda. This study concludes that unless the question of land tenure insecurity among the local people is adequately handled, conflict between the state and the people will continue to occur in this area.