The resolution by the leaders cancels all illegal sales of land to the cattle keepers and all land titles and leases illegally issued the "balaalo", in addition to instituting stringent measures to prevent easy land acquisition.
Leaders in the Acholi Sub-region
have resolved to suspend the sales of customary land to cattle keepers commonly
referred to as "balaalo".
The resolution is part of nine
key action points put forward by leaders in the region as they seek to bring to an
end the massive land acquisition by cattle keepers mostly from Western Uganda.
This comes just a month after
President Museveni suspended the implementation of Executive Order No 3 for the
eviction of all illegal cattle keepers from Northern Uganda until September 30
pending their verification.
However, during a two days
meeting held in Gulu City on Thursday and Friday, leaders from the Acholi Sub-region
resolved that there was no need to verify the cattle keepers and called for
their immediate eviction.
They argued that land in the region is customarily
owned, alleging that the majority of the cattle keepers in the region acquired
the vast chunk of land they currently own illegally.
The meeting brought in lawyers, and religious,
traditional, political, and opinion leaders from the region who deliberated on cross-cutting
issues affecting the Acholi people majorly on the issues of cattle keepers, the
Karimojong rustlers and land conflicts in Aswa Ranch and Amuru district.
The resolution reached by the
leaders and read out by counsel Walter Okidi Ladwar included the cancellation of
illegal sales of land to the cattle keepers, the cancellation of illegal land
titles and leases acquired by the cattle keepers, and the institution of stringent measures to prevent easy land acquisition.
Others are the call for immediate
eviction of all cattle keepers from the region, the need for the government to
open a register for certificates of customary land ownership in every parish,
the amendment of the land act to remove conversion of customary land to freehold,
cancellation of freehold land titles, and revoking of other leases issued in Aswa
ranch respectively.
//Cue in: “Illegal sales of…//
Cue out:…case by case.”//
Anthony Akol, the Kilak North
Legislator who doubles as the Acholi Parliamentary Group Chairperson says the leaders resolved during the meeting that all "ballalo" be evicted immediately
from the region and their verification be handled on a case-by-case basis.
He
notes that the cattle keepers will be verified after a period of six months by
a select committee while they are out of the region to ascertain details of the
land they have acquired either through hiring or purchase.
//Cue in: “On the issue…//
Cue out:…lost their lives.”//
Luo byte
//Cue in: “Lwak omoko lawangacel…//
Cue out:…konyo dano wa.”//
David Lagen Atuka, the Agago County
Member of Parliament said the resolution is crucial in ending the exploitation
of the cattle keepers on the local populace in the region. He says as leaders,
they are in support of the presidential executive order No 3 which calls for
the immediate expulsion of the cattle keepers.
//Cue in: “We are still…//
Cue out:…land in Acholi.”//
The Lamwo District Chairperson
Sisto Oyet notes that the majority of the cattle keepers who came in the region
didn’t follow the right approach in acquiring the land, adding that they are
illegally carrying out commercial cattle keeping. Oyet said some of the lands
currently being used by the cattle keepers were sold by individuals without the
consent of the entire clan or household which contravenes the customary land
tenure.
//Cue in: “we all agree…//
Cue out:…te balaalo back.”//
The resolution reached is expected to be handed over to the State Minister for Northern Uganda rehabilitation Grace Freedom Kwiyucwyiny.
A select committee composed of
legislators, district chairpersons, and Resident District Commissioners from Acholi embarked on the verification of the cattle keepers two weeks ago in Amuru
district in a bid to ascertain their identities, the status of the land they
are occupying, and compliance with directives from the government.
The team led by Akol embarked on
the exercise shortly after the president temporarily suspended the eviction of
the cattle keepers in a July 2 letter to the Senior Presidential Advisor in
Charge of Defense, also the Chief coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation Gen
Salim Saleh.
The exercise however left the
legislators from the region divided with a section of the leaders among them
Kilak South Member of Parliament Gilbert Olanya, Chua West MP Philip Okin
Ojara, Chua East MP Magarette Lamwaka, and Gulu City Woman MP Betty Aol
protesting its implementation.
Leaders in the region have
accused the cattle keepers of among others exploiting the locals and illegally
purchasing large chunks of customary land, fueling conflicts among locals over
land and destroying sacred places.
It’s estimated that more than
2,000 cattle keepers majorly from Western Uganda are occupying the districts of
Amuru, Nwoya, and Gulu according to statistics from the recent verification
exercise.
