Tribal sentiments can’t end Apaa land row - Museveni

President Museveni has said the Apaa land conflict will be solved based on facts rather than tribal sentiments.
While meeting a section of leaders from West Nile Sub-region at State House Entebbe on Friday, the President promised to set up a commission of inquiry into the conflict, which is expected to submit a report by December.

The details of the meeting were revealed by Mr William Anyama, the chairperson of West Nile Development Association (WENDA), who was in attendance.

“The President promised that by December, the Apaa land conflict must be resolved and pledged to convene another meeting between the leadership of West Nile and Acholi to put an end to the conflict,” Mr Anyama said.

During the meeting, the leaders also presented an 8-page document containing the major issues of Apaa land conflict, including a report of parliamentary select probe committee as well as that of former Local Government minister Tom Butime, among others, which place the contested Apaa land in Adjumani District.

Other issues
The other issues raised by the leaders included the infrastructure development in the sub-region such as Obongi-Moyo road, Obongi-Yumbe road, and Koboko-Yumbe-Moyo-Afoji road that are in a sorry state.

“The President did not dispute the documents we presented to him and our position on Apaa but assured us that the conflict in Apaa can only be resolved by facts and not based on sentiments, titles (held in government by a region),  or numbers and tribalism,” Mr Anyama said.

 He revealed that the President also reaffirmed his commitment to transform the region by supporting the establishment of a demonstration farm in the sub-region to boost commercial farming.

The delegation of West Nile leaders included Mr Jackson Atima, the Arua Central Division MP; Mr Jaon Okia Aniku, MP for Madi Okollo District; Adjumani East MP James Mamawi, and Dr George Bhoka Didi, MP for Obongi County.

Also in attendance were Dr Joyce Moriku Kaducu, the State minister for Education, her Northern Uganda counterpart Grace Kwiyucwiny, and Mr Stephen Drani, the Madi paramount chief.

The leaders from West Nile sought audience with the President following a meeting between him and Acholi leaders over the Apaa conflict on August 12.

In his meeting with the Acholi leaders, Mr Museveni okayed the establishment of a commission of inquiry to establish the actual boundaries for the disputed land, which is on the border between Adjumani and Amuru districts. 

According to the President, the commission will equally establish whether there were human settlements in Apaa by 1986 but will also establish whether the area is critical for conservation or not.

Sources who attended the Acholi meeting, told Daily Monitor that the President also accepted their request to reopen health centres and schools in Apaa that were closed as well as grant the area a sub-county status.

Protests
But the Madi cultural and political leadership of Adjumani denounced the resolutions of the President’s meeting with the Acholi leaders. They warned that the resolutions would spark more tension among the Madi and the Acholi living in Apaa.
 The West Nile leaders argued that the outcomes of the President’s meeting with Acholi leaders were null and void since they were not involved. 

Arua Central Division MP Atima at the weekend said their aim of meeting the President was to seek a lasting solution to the conflict in Apaa through consensus.

Background
 Apaa land is claimed by both Adjumani and Amuru districts, and Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).  UWA says the disputed land is part of East Madi Wildlife Reserve. 

The government evicted people from the disputed land following several clashes between the Madi ethnic group from Adjumani and the Acholi from Amuru.

President Museveni, during the meeting with Acholi leaders, reportedly instructed the UPDF Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Wilson Mbadi, to enforce maximum security in the area and ensure that the attacks cease.

In 2015, the government started demarcating boundaries between Amuru and Adjumani districts to restore calm among communities on the disputed land. 

In 2017, the land was handed over to Adjumani officials, sparking off a new series of clashes among the two communities.

In June 2017, 10 people died and many others were injured after clashes broke out between the Acholi and Madi communities, with the Acholi suffering the largest numbers of casualties. 

A year later, a committee led by the then Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda was formed to handle the matter.