In Africa, only 2 to 10% of the total land area is believed to be titled, with 90 percent without title and under customary ownership.
In Acholi, land coverage is estimated to be approximately 28,522 square km, with only 8,556.6 square km, representing 30 percent of the total land area, believed to be in use.
The average population density in Acholi is 50 households per square kilometer, and the average land coverage for a district in Acholi is 13 acres per household, which puts the greatest land interest in Acholi, according to research presented by Political Philosopher and a Law lecturer with Law Development Center Lira, Hon. Dr. Odonga Otto.
In his report on Balalo, Balalo cattle in the Acholi subregion are projected to be approximately 77,000 heads, and only 8,740 are in a protected area, which contributes about 11% of animals protected from causing destruction of farmland, waterpoints, and government gazetted areas, with 89 percent of the cattle roaming.
This has caused a lot of conflicts between the local community and the Balalo Pastoralists in recent times, according to Odonga Otto in his report of 17th April 2025 during a second consultative Meeting with Acholi Elders and Leaders on “Operation Harmony” from Bomah Hotel in Gulu City.
The 65-day Joint Security initiative, which is being implemented by Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) of the 4th and 5th Infantry Division in Acholi subregion, in its report of Wednesday, June 24th, 2025, stated clearly: “The Operation Harmony’s goal is the eviction of Balalo Pastoralists from the Acholi and West Nile subregion.” This follows a pronouncement made by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Uganda on Presidential Executive Orders number 2 and 3 of 2025, which gives directives to the Balalo herdsmen to leave Acholi and West Nile Subregion with their cattle as they await a verification exercise to ascertain the legality of their settlement and credibility reports on land acquisition in Acholi subregion.
Speaking during a morning radio talk show “Billa wa” on 107.2 Rupiny Radio on June 25th, 2025, the 4th Division Public Information Officer, Capt. David Kamiya, says the initiative is to evict Balalo Pastoralists who are believed to have illegally encroached or gained access to government land, National Parks, destroying wetlands, farmland, and allegations of false acquisition of Customary land, and it is following a directive of the President of the Republic of Uganda.
“This is a 65-day operation by the joint Security initiative, which is effective today, June 24th, 2025, and its goal is to evict Balalo herdsmen from Acholi Subregion,” the operation shall go phase by phase as directed.
The 1st Phase shall encompass mobilization and sensitization of the masses, and it will take a one-week period with a number of activities expected to be taking place, which includes community engagement and logistical preparation by all stakeholders targeting herders and local leaders.
In the 2nd Phase, which he says is a voluntary eviction, which shall also take one week for others to move their cattle.
The 3rd Phase shall be lawful eviction, which will come after the assessment of the operation of the 1st and 2nd phase, and law enforcement shall come in after the report from the committee on the success of the 1st and 2nd Phases.
Lt. Col. Hassan, the Political Commissar 4th Infantry Division, says this is a civil operation among other operations they have carried out and calls upon members of the public to remain calm and cooperate with security and law enforcement teams on the ground during the operation.
He further said the objectives of Operation Harmony are to maintain law and order in the affected areas for the affected community, protection of public and communal land with the aim of prevention of conflict between the herdsmen and people, enforcement of government directives as given by the President but execution will be with extreme precautions, and lastly, promotion of peaceful coexistence between the Balalo migrants and the community.
He therefore calls for professionalism and discipline from all actors involved in this Operation and reminds them that the force which shall be used is legal force under the UPDF code of conduct. He says a legal team shall be on the ground to settle cases related to land conflict.
He confirmed working closely with other elements in the success of this Operation, which includes: The UPDF, The Uganda Police, UWA, District Security Committee, National Forest Authority, MAAIF, The Judiciary, Cultural Institutions, and Subcounty leadership.
The Gulu City Resident City Commissioner (RCC), Mr. Ambrose Onoria, says all the animals will have a single exit point, which is through Karuma, and no animal will be allowed to leave without a permit signed by the district veterinary officer. He cautions those with the intention of leaving their cattle behind that those animals left behind shall be auctioned through the approval of the Judiciary, and the proceeds shall go to support other government entities such as schools, prisons, and others. In his conclusion, he cautioned political leaders to stay clear of this operation and avoid political interference, or else risk facing the long arm of the law.
The eviction of Balalo herdsmen from the Acholi subregion, as witnessed, has faced criticism from some individuals who allege to be landowners.
Mr. Kennedy Okello, Publicity at the Livestock Farmers Association, who alleges to be one of the landowners from Nwoya District, while appearing for the talk show program “Behind the Headlines” on UBC Television on Wednesday, June 25th, 2025, challenged the procedures taken in the execution of the Presidential Executive Order on Balalo eviction, saying the processes of verifications should have happened before evictions as some of these Balalo herdsmen are clean and have been coexisting peacefully with the local community.
The Minister for Northern Uganda, Hon. Dr. Kenneth Omona, however, cautions some few individuals trying to paint Acholi as being tribalistic that they should desist from that narrative because this is a Presidential order in response to the community that feels undermined by a particular group of people.
“Let’s not bring a narrative of guilt-trapping the people of Acholi; there has been a forceful eviction in Bunyoro before led by Gen. Tinyefunya when they heard there was oil in Bunyoro; nobody is talking about it. The President is not evicting anybody but the animals, and we should not misrepresent the President.”
But as we begin to witness the innocent cattle packed in a trailer truck heading to a destination unknown, we ask, is this the beginning of an era of truth and reality? And the rhetoric questions of who is Balalo and who brought them to the Acholi subregion still remain elusive.”
