President Yoweri Museveni has extended the executive order number three to the 20th of October 2023. The executive orders had banned all Balalo from northern Uganda, labeling them as indisciplined and land grabbers.
This follows a heated meeting attended by leaders from Acholi, West Nile, Lango, Karamoja, Teso and Sebei sub regions in Gulu on Saturday the 30th of September 2023.
In the meeting the leaders demanded an immediate evacuation of herdsmen commonly known as Balaalo as communicated in the executive order, "His Excellency the president Yoweri Museveni has extended the deadline to 20th of October 2023 and this is to allow him to read the report which he has received" the minister of state for Northern Uganda Grace Freedom Kwiyocwiny read in a press statement.
The latest extension comes after the conclusion of the three months exercise that ended on the 30th September 2023, "The executive order first of all has not been understood by many including people who are here, because copies have not been circulated so that people can read the order" this is according to the Kole district woman MP Judith Alyek, while Esenu Anthony who represents the people of Kapelebyong insisted that "as Teso region we are saying let the directive be implemented as par the President's directive".
The main focus has been the issue surrounding the herdsmen commonly known as Balaalo. The lower council and religious leaders say the Balaalo are escalating land grabbing.
The Aruu north member of Parliament Santa Okot says "the Balaalo have come here to stay, for us as the Acholi parliamentary group are saying the Balaalo must go - all of them".
In the last three months, the Acholi verification team headed by Kilak North Member of Parliament Anthony Akol has been verifying herdsmen. But Akol believes that the findings they found in the communities were not accurately captured for President Yoweri Museveni "from what happened yesterday, therfe have been a lot of changes from the original report that I participated on", while Okin PP Ojara, the Member of Parliament for Cwa East sees this as a failure in the implementation of the presidential executive order number three.
The Presidential order number three was pronounced on the 24th of May 2023 by President Yoweri Museveni guiding on the issue of the Balaalo, illegal charcoal production, and cattle rustling.
So far, 217 illegal herdsmen have been recorded in Acholi sub region alone with over 2000 heads of cattle.
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The lower council and cultural leaders see the issue of the Balaalo as a precipitate for land grabbing, "the verification of their documents should take place on the ground, you can't in the city and claim to be verifying land matters" retaliated the Atiak Town council LC3 chairperson Kent Okot. The former Prime Minister of the Acholi cultural institution
Ambrose Oola warned of a reprisal if the Balaalo cross to Palabek in Lamwo district "I listened to others saying we can allow, And I warn you don't cross Aswa river with your Balaalo".
The UPDF hierarchy attended the meeting.
General Salim Saleh who is also the chief coordinator of the operation wealth creation is calling for more time in order to manage the issue of the immigrant cattle keepers, "have you trained the Police in cattle eviction? so I am requesting the members of parliament if you could kindly give us time because the order is not going to change at all".
They also want to peace to prevail and for the Acholi people to unite, "that is there is this confusion, everyone is talking his (or her own) language here because if the home is not organized I don't think that we can present our voice as the Acholi people" roared Lieutenant General Otema Awany who is a prominent son of the Acholi people and the UPDF Commander, Reserve forces.
The Acholi paramount chief Onen David Acana II is calling for calm among the people as the exercise to evict the Balaalo is handled.
In the order the president also sought to criminalize nomadism, prescribing a seven-year prison sentence for anyone convicted.
The author of this article is the Next Media Group bureau chief for Northern Uganda, he can be contacted on jomago[email protected] or follow him on X (former Twitter) @OmagorJoseph
