Government gives final orders on Apaa land amid protests

The government has stuck to its position to have residents occupying the disputed Apaa land bordering Adjumani and Amuru districts vacate.

Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda on Thursday told delegations from the two districts, whom he had invited to a meeting at his office in Kampala, that government’s stand had not changed following a Cabinet directive early this year.

Government representatives who attended the Tuesday meeting included Northern Uganda State minister Grace Freedom Kwiyucwiny and Tourism State minister Godfrey Kiwanda.

Dr Rugunda told the leaders at meeting that several meetings between the two groups held last year in Gulu District failed to yield any common position.

As a result, he said, Cabinet chaired by President Museveni has made five final decisions.
Dr Rugunda said Cabinet had decided that all people occupying East Madi Game Reserve (Apaa) should vacate and that Apaa Market be closed by March.

He said those settled in the East Madi Game Reserve and were found to have acquired National Identification Cards between 2013 and 2014 as residents of Apaa, be supported with Shs10 million, 20 bags of cement and 20 iron sheets, per family to enable them acquire land elsewhere.

The Cabinet also decided that those who were found in Apaa but did not possess National IDs be assisted with Shs2 million per family to relocate and relief food be provided to all the families that will be asked to vacate the area within 12 months.

On Tuesday, Uganda Wildlife Authority Rangers and Adjuamni officials closed the Apaa Market that hosts more than 1,500 vendors in its latest move to have control of the East Madi Wildlife Reserve.

The District officials also relocated the market to Zoka centre, some 10 kilometres inside Adjumani District amid outcry from vendors, mostly from the Acholi community.

The eviction, according to Mr Julius Mucunguzi, the communications officer in the Office of the Prime Minister, will be completed by the end of June.

“The Prime Minister appealed to leaders of the two communities at the local and national level to sensitise the people about the above decisions,” he said.

Government claims the disputed land measuring about 827 Square kilometres is a protected East Madi Wildlife Reserve located in Adjumani and was gazetted by Parliament in 2002.

Disappointment
Dr Daniel Komakech, the chairperson of Acholi committee on Apaa land dialogue, told Sunday Monitor on Friday that they were disappointed by the decision taken by Premier Rugunda and team.

“We gave our submissions that the locals can live in the area even if it is a game reserve just like it is in Lake Mburo National Park. We equally requested that the place be degazzeted but no one has listened to us. They chose to listen more to the Adjumani team,’’ Dr Komakech said.

He added: “We are yet to write a report on the matter to government so that we are on record that we did not agree with their decision but we were rendered powerless.’’

Last month, a six-member select Parliamentary Committee tasked to investigate the Apaa land conflict asked government to stop any form of eviction of locals settled on the disputed land until proper reports on the ownership is found.
Our efforts to get comments from the committee chairperson, Ms Agnes Ameede, were futile as she didn’t answer our repeated calls.

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