In his concluding remarks on November 3rd, 2023 from Okidi, one of the villages full of Balaalo in Amuru District or the Migrant cattle keepers in the Acoli sub-region, His Excellency, President Yoweri Museveni Kaguta gave three weeks to the Balaalo who have not fenced their land, and those who have occupied Government Land to leave, as he would handle the issues of land ownership contestation later in the case of the Executive Order No.3 of 2023.
“Therefore, I direct the Division Commander, the Regional Police Commander, and also the Minister of Northern Uganda, to issue orders for these people to remove their cows. Anybody who has got cows in a non-fenced area must go- all of them! Secondly, the ones who are in Government land, like the land of Lakang, which I bought for the project, the Aswa Ranch, all Government land -they must leave. I give them three weeks to hire lorries or trucks and take them to whenever they take them”. The President directed in his parting shot from Amuru District.
This is exactly why the State Minister for Northern Uganda, Grace Freedom Kwiyucwiny addressed the Media from her office compound in Gulu in the Lower Churchill drive on the afternoon of November 24th.
According to the Presidential directive, November 25th is the starting date for the implementation of Executive Order No.3 as the three weeks he announced while in Amuru elapses at Midnight on November 24th.
The Calm Minister told the Press that they are ready to begin implementing the order by chasing all the Balaalo who have not fenced their land or have their land not embedded with Water including those who have excess animals in a small piece of land plus those in the government land.
Audio File one: Minister on implementation-Eng
The Minister added that this implementation is sustainable and involved the District Security Team headed by the Resident District Commissioners and the local council system as a sustainable approach to avert the Balaalo from coming back which has been the practice.
Audio File two: Minister on Sustainability –Eng
Kwiyucwiny also announced during the press conference that the District Veterinary Officers and the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandries, and Fisheries are very important in the exercise. According to her, the Government has opened doors for Animals to cross to Northern Uganda from outside the Region cautiously following clearance from the Ministry of Land and Animal Husbandries
Audio File Three: Minister on Animal Transit in the Region-Eng
Meanwhile, Balaalo who would fail to adhere to the condition as the implementation starts on November 25th on a Saturday. They would be asked to sell their Animals in Northern Uganda since districts would provide Animal markets and locals are called upon to buy and improve breeding in the Region.
Audio File Four: Minister on Makert-Eng
The Executive Order includes a ‘Ban on illegal Migrant Cattle Farmers’ Balaalo’, Commercial Charcoal Burning and Trade and putting a complete End to Cattle Rustling.’
Ends
