In a recent report published by the Balaalo Verification Committee, the committee recommended the eviction of illegal herdsmen from various regions in northern and northeastern Uganda. The study, conducted in June and August 2023, focused on five selected sub-regions that host the Balaalo community, including West Nile, Acholi, Lango, Teso, Karamoja, and Sebei.
According to the report, the Executive Order Number 3 implementation committee proposed the urgent eviction of at least 217 illegal Balaalo (herdsmen) residing in the Acholi Sub-region. Among these, Amuru District had the highest number with 86 non-compliant Balaalo, followed by Pader District with 45. Gulu District had 44 illegal herdsmen, Nwoya District had 37, and Lamwo District had five, with a total of over 2,700 cattle.
The report, led by Prof Jack Nyeko Pen-Mogi, the acting chairman of the Uganda Land Commission, also called for a revision of all land lease agreements to ensure fair terms for land acquisition by locals. It suggested that all Balaalo who acquired land titles illegally should be evicted and recommended the establishment of minimum land rates, particularly in the Acholi Sub-region, to safeguard the rights of local residents.
The report highlighted how the Balaalo have continued to encroach on land and cause disruption in local communities, despite President Yoweri Museveni’s directive to evict them nearly two years ago. The herdsmen have become a security concern, leading to food insecurity and an increase in land-related conflicts.
The Balaalo’s activities include intimidation, manipulation, and destruction of gardens, forcing locals to sell their land at reduced prices. Some Balaalo have acquired land illegally through proxy buying, which threatens the land ownership rights of the local population. Additionally, they engage in illegal activities like grazing in swamps and violence against local communities.
The report also revealed that some community leaders and law enforcement officials colluded with the Balaalo, making it difficult to address cases against them. Balaalo were reported to have guns and military uniforms, further complicating the situation.
President Museveni had issued Executive Order 3, banning all Balaalo from Northern Uganda and criminalizing nomadism with a seven-year prison sentence for violators. The cattle of those found in the region were also subject to confiscation. However, the enforcement of the expulsion was deferred, leading to the formation of the verification committee to gather data on the herdsmen before the order’s execution.
The report pointed out that security personnel were reluctant to settle disputes with the Balaalo due to fears of repercussions from high-ranking officials who supported them. Resident district commissioners refrained from handling Balaalo land cases for fear of conflicting with powerful individuals.
The report also highlighted the Balaalo’s reluctance to identify themselves and their occasional use of violence, causing fear among local communities who believed they were sent by the government to seize their land.
