President Museveni Meets Acholi Leaders over Balaalo Operations in Sub-region

President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday, October 18 met and held discussions with a section of leaders from the Acholi sub-region at State House Entebbe. The leaders were led by the Chief Justice, Alfonse Owiny-Dollo. 

During the meeting, President Museveni and the leaders discussed a wide range of issues regarding the recent Presidential Executive Order No. 3 that addressed among others the issue of Balaalo ownership of land in the Acholi sub-region. 

President Museveni issued an Executive Order on May 19 this year following his regional tour where he promised to deal with errant and undisciplined Balaalo herdsmen. In the order, the President banned all Balaalo from Northern Uganda. The Balaalo were to leave the North by the end of June this year, but this was deferred to September 30.

However, President Museveni again extended the implementation of the order to October 20 in order to give him time to study new reports about the Balaalo herdsmen operations in the region. The extension ends today. The Acholi leaders reported to the President that some Balaalo were using names of top officials in the government to commit crimes like grabbing land, and destroying crops of the locals among other forms of unlawful acts. 

The President promised the leaders that the issue would be solved by harmonising the relationship between the Acholi people and the herdsmen. “What you are talking about is very easy. You give me factual examples of the crimes being committed so that I have where to move in." 

The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees Hilary Onek, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (International Affairs) Henry Okello Oryem, Minister of State for Economic Monitoring Beatrice Akello Akori, Bardege- Layibi Division MP Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, Kilak County MP Anthony Akol, opinion and cultural leaders.