Museveni Faults Balaalo Over Land Misuse, Crop Destruction in Northern Uganda
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has condemned the disorderly behavior of some Balaalo pastoralists in Northern, Northwestern, and Eastern Uganda, citing key violations that embody grazing cattle on folk’s vegetation, illegal land occupation, and blockading fetch entry to to public facilities bask in the Nile River.
In a strongly worded assertion launched Sunday, the President outlined a series of actions by the Balaalo that he said are inflicting rigidity and resentment among local communities. Chief among the troubles is “kwonesa,” a neighborhood term referring to cattle or cattle grazing on diversified folk’s vegetation—a observe he said contradicts patriotism and undermines nationwide team spirit.
Museveni well-known that the destruction of vegetation stems largely from bringing cattle into areas with out correct fencing, comparable to barbed wire or chain-hyperlink barriers. Even these who have fenced, he added, typically lack permanent water sources on their farms, prompting them to cross animals one day of the dry season and encroach on local farmlands.
He extra accused some Balaalo of blockading neighborhood fetch entry to routes to key public facilities, fencing carelessly, and, in some instances, occupying authorities ranches illegally—actions he said frustrate planned vogue projects comparable to cattle breeding.
“The Balaalo have even invaded authorities ranches,” Museveni said, warning that such strikes no longer handiest hinder authorities plans but provoke locals to build apart a question to identical fetch entry to to the land.
The president questioned whether the pastoralists acquired correct cattle motion permits ahead of coming into the affected areas. He in actual fact handy authorities who anguish these permits to take a look at no longer handiest the wisely being of the animals but also the suitability of the mosey space—checking for disorders bask in water availability, fencing, and the capability for slash destruction.
He also pushed apart allegations that his government orders on this anguish are tribalistic, insisting the orders target “illegal and irrational actors,” no longer law-abiding citizens. Museveni cited the example of Adyeeri, a Munyoro girl farming fruit in Nwoya District, who has been welcomed by the local neighborhood for her still and just agricultural practices.
In addressing the moral possession of land, Museveni pressured that even Balaalo who purchased land in the North carry out no longer have maybe the most attractive to atomize vegetation or block fetch entry to routes. “Plant life carry out no longer kwonesa diversified vegetation,” he said, contrasting the still behavior of slash farmers with the disruptive practices of some pastoralists.
He added that whereas local communities also expertise conflicts among themselves over grazing, they most ceaselessly cope with these through outmoded justice, comparable to tying up stray cattle and fining the house owners — a map he said breaks down when some Balaalo arrive backed by armed members of the family in the protection drive.
“It is such conceitedness and lawlessness that requires the intervention of the President through an Govt Recount,” Museveni acknowledged. The assertion comes amid rising outcry in northern Uganda, the build apart neighborhood leaders have in most cases raised issues about encroachment, land grabbing, and destruction of livelihoods by itinerant herders.
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FULL LETTER
Fellow Ugandans, specifically the Bazzukulu.
Greetings. My social-media supervisor has drawn my attention to the lies and distortions on social media referring to the anguish of the Balaalo in Northern, Northwestern, and Eastern Uganda. The mistakes by the Balaalo in these areas are the next:
1. Okwonesa (cattle or diversified cattle, grazing on diversified Other folk’s vegetation). Is that fraction of patriotism of a United Uganda? Is that fraction of the liberty of Dawdle of Ugandans inside of Uganda?
2. That kwonesa (cattle eating Other folk’s vegetation), comes from introducing cattle in an house the build apart there might maybe be not any senge-nge (barbed wire)-correct barbed wires or even chain links (obutiimba) to cope with the goats.
3. Even these who would possibly maybe have fenced, they would possibly maybe no longer have permanent water sources on the farm (sold or rented). Hence, in the dry season, they cross out to take a look at for water and, hence, kwonera Other folk (cattle eating Other folk’s vegetation).
4. Then, there might maybe be fencing carelessly by blockading Other folk’s routes to the Nile River or diversified Public
5. The anguish of non-Acholi’s or Northerners, legally proudly owning land in the North comes in last. It is this one which ought to have the lawyers. Which land did you, the Mulaalo, aquire or rent? Used to be it Communal land fraudulently sold or rented by a few Other folk or used to be it interior most land? The
7. Did these Balaalo fetch moral Cattle Dawdle permits, in the first build apart? Here’s ebaruha y’okufuruka (Dawdle Enable). The givers of these permits will have to continually be sure there are no longer any issues (diseases, possession, and numerous others.) the build apart the Cattle are coming from and no issues
9. Northerners, also kwoneseza one one other (cattle eating vegetation). Alternatively, I hear, that for them, they’ve their local practices, which are also total in diversified areas, the build apart you kutsibika (tying) the offending cow until the owner involves redeem it and would possibly maybe pay a beautiful. Alternatively, apparently, these justice measures can’t be followed by some of the arrogant Balaalo who will attain with their armed members of the family from the Navy and, subsequently, these straightforward justice practices can not observe to such considerable Other folk. For this reason they need the Govt Recount of the President of Uganda.
Signed:
Yoweri Okay. Museveni
Ssaabalwanyi
