Acholi leaders issue fresh eviction notice to Balaalo

Leaders across the political, cultural and religious divide in Acholi have issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Balaalo herdsmen in the sub-region to leave or be evicted.

The leaders argue that the herdsmen are fomenting land conflicts, crime and spreading animal diseases in the area.
Mr Anthony Akol, the Acholi Parliamentary Group chairperson, said the herdsmen have continued to penetrate the area where they illegitimately acquire huge chunks of land as their cows destroy people’s gardens.

“Areas with disease outbreaks are full of these herdsmen, their cattle are destroying our crops because the grazing land where they are operating is not fenced. Their insecurity is manifested in theft of livestock, assault and defilement of girls,” he said at a press conference in Gulu City on Tuesday.

“We have agreed and are ordering that the Balaalo cattle keepers, who are illegally staying in Acholi land, must vacate within two weeks or be forced out,” he added.

Mr Akol revealed that all the districts in Acholi Sub-region have resolved to enact ordinances with a view to stopping the herdsmen from illegally acquiring more land.

“The 4th Division UPDF command is ready to enforce the presidential directive so that the Balaalo vacate our villages immediately and a verification exercise will immediately kick off to establish their numbers and the authenticity of the permits and land titles in their possession,” he added.

The decision follows an October 31 joint meeting of area leaders at the Acholi chiefdom palace. 
Among other things, they agreed that the veterinary officers in all the districts should seek local leaders’ approval before issuing cattle movement permits to the herdsmen.

It was also agreed that committees comprising local council leaders be instituted at all levels to stop the renting of communal land for purposes of cattle keeping.

Acholi chiefdom prime minister Ambrose Olaa said the sub-region has registered numerous deaths from foot and mouth disease since 2019 due to the illegal practices of the Balaalo.

Mr Olaa added that the cultural institution is working toward recovering all communal land sold or leased out to the Balaalo.

“We want all communal grazing land leases to be cancelled with immediate effect and any Balaalo who bought that land must leave immediately,” he added.

Gulu West MP Martin Ojara Mapenduzi said the decision has nothing to do with tribalism.
“This has nothing to do with where they come from and it’s purely about what they are doing to our people now. They are coming illegally and faulting the procedures of bringing cows from other districts,” Mr Mapenduzi said.

He added that it is meaningless for the government to continue injecting a lot of money in the Acholi cattle restocking programme but continue to allow the herdsmen to bring in cattle from disease-ravaged areas.

Sheikh Musa Khalil, the secretary of Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative, said reports about the criminal activities of the herdsmen warranted their exit.

“On record, they are accused of killings, raping women and defiling young girls, we are concerned about the existential threat posed to our people in the event of being disenfranchised of our land,” Sheikh Khalil said.

He added that since 2017 when the President issued an order for the Balaalo to vacate, their numbers have instead tripled.

Last week, the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Wilson Mbadi, while meeting Acholi leaders in Gulu City, reportedly supported the move to evict the herdsmen, saying the 2017 presidential directive still stands.
He also said the army was ready to enforce the eviction.

Gulu RDC Stephen Odong Latek said the herdsmen have shunned calls from the district to register their animals.
“In Gulu, they occupy the sub-counties of Awach, Omel, Paibona, Cwero, Palaro, Paicho and Owor. And they have spread into Lamwo, Amuru and Pader and literally the entire borders between the districts have been taken over by them,” Mr Odong said.

“As they evacuate the region, we want to understand the kind of agreement they carry on the land they are occupying but unfortunately none of them want to comply with it because they don’t have clear identities.”

Looking back
On October 24, 2017, President Museveni directed the UPDF and the Agriculture ministry to evict the Balaalo pastoralists from northern Uganda.

The directive was in reaction to claims from the leadership across the region that the pastoralists’ population had significantly grown to hamper farming. However, the directive was not implemented and more herdsmen have continued to come to the region.

By Tobbias Jolly Owiny, Polycap Kalokwera & Moses Opobo