Oulanyah replaces Rugunda as head of Apaa land talks
Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda and Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Jacob Oulanyah. FILE PHOTOS
What you need to know:
- 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.
President Museveni has replaced Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda as the chairperson of a government committee on Apaa land conflict.
The President held a closed-door meetings in Gulu on Monday and appointed the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Jacob Oulanyah to chair a new committee on the disputed Apaa land bordering Adjumani and Amuru districts.
The President however retained Dr Rugunda on the new committee as the deputy to Mr Oulanyah.
Other committee members are Deputy Prime Minister Gen Moses Ali, Minister for relief, Disaster preparedness and Refugees Hillary Onek, Lands Minister Betty Amongi Ephraim Kamuntu, the minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities and Sam Cheptoris, the state minister for water.
The President’s decision to pick Oulanyah came after several meetings chaired by Dr Rugunda between the two groups (Adjumani and Amuru) held last year in Gulu District failed to yield any common position on the ownership of the land.
The Oulanyah team expected to revisit controversies surrounding ownership of Apaa land bordering Amuru and Adjumani districts.
“We had a very fruitful discussion with H.E KagutaMuseveni and Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda on Apaa today The President announced a new Committee which will be chaired by me and deputised by the Prime Minister,” Mr Oulnayah announced in a tweet.
According to Mr Oulanyah, they met the President in Gulu after he announced a new team to steer the talks between the people of Amuru and Adjumani.
The appointment of a new committee however, came after cabinet decided that all people occupying East Madi Game Reserve (Apaa) should vacate and that Apaa Market be closed. This directive sparked outrage from both sides of the conflict. The people in the conflict have since vilified Dr Rugunda’s team and rejected the cabinet directives.
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.
