Two Congolese police officers were arrested by Ugandan security forces for illegally crossing into Ugandan territory to inspect an ongoing water drilling project along the Uganda-DR Congo border at Awasi Border, Yada Parish, Jangokoro Sub-County, Zombo District, on January 10, 2025, at approximately 2:00 PM.
The two officers, who are being held at Paidha Central Police Station, reportedly came from Bunia in DR Congo.
They were allegedly sent by their leaders to verify the water drilling project being undertaken by Zombo District Local Government in the area.
The water project is expected to benefit thousands of residents from both Uganda and DR Congo, who share similar cultures, traditions, languages, and even national identity cards.
Local leaders report that Congolese authorities are claiming ownership of the territory, which has been under Zombo District Local Government’s jurisdiction for decades.
Authorities Respond
Zombo Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Grace Atim confirmed the arrest, noting that the officers entered Uganda without permission and were inspecting the water project site.
“When they came, our security team arrested two of them, but others ran away. They are currently at Paidha Central Police Station. We are waiting to hand them over to our counterparts in Congo,” Atim said during an interview.
Atim assured the public that the situation remains calm. “We don’t want this small border issue to damage the good relationship the two countries enjoy. We shall find time to meet and resolve the issue,” she added.
Escalating Border Disputes
This incident follows a similar one on January 3, when over 50 armed DR Congo soldiers, led by the RDC of Mahagi Territory in Ituri Province, illegally crossed into Uganda at the same location. The soldiers withdrew after swift intervention and compromise by Zombo District leaders and their Congolese counterparts.
Such actions are considered a violation of international law.
Zombo RDC Festus Ayikobua has urged Congolese authorities to use appropriate and amicable channels to address disputes. Local leaders assert that the contested territory has been used by Uganda under Zombo District Local Government for decades.
Calls for Permanent Solutions
Zombo District LCV Chairperson, James Oruna Oyullu, has called for intervention by Uganda’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Kinshasa government to resolve the ongoing border dispute permanently.
“To make matters worse, the area they are claiming is not even in DR Congo; it is in Uganda at the border,” Oyullu stated last week.
Since the early 2000s, territorial disputes between Uganda and DR Congo have persisted, despite continuous efforts by both governments to address them amicably.
Ongoing Border Challenges
Ugandan traders, especially from Zombo District, have raised concerns about harsh treatment from Congolese authorities when crossing into the Awasi Weekly Market in DR Congo.
In May 2023, Congolese locals occupied three Ugandan villages—Acu, Oyaro, and Acu Cell—in Padea Town Council and Abanga Sub-County, stoking tensions until a crisis meeting was convened to resolve the matter.
Efforts for Border Demarcation
Last year, Uganda and DR Congo held a joint technical committee meeting in Goma, DR Congo, aimed at reaffirming their common border and developing a roadmap for the demarcation of the 817-kilometre shared boundary.
To date, Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports that only 44.8 kilometres of the border have been reaffirmed, including a 28-kilometre stretch from Offo/Vura and a 16.8-kilometre section from Sarambwe/Bwindi.
Efforts to maintain peaceful relations and ensure proper border demarcation remain a priority for both nations.