10000 cattle sent back home as UPDF Starts eviction of Balaalo
Over 10,000 cattle belonging to Balaalo from Northern Uganda have crossed Karuma in an on -going operation commanded by the UPDF fourth Division Commander Brig Emmanuel Kanyesigye, targeting nomadic pastoralists from South western Uganda.
Early this year, President Museveni ordered Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) in Northern Uganda and West Nile to oversee the eviction of all herdsmen commonly known as Balaalo from the sub region.
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The directive was a fulfilment of pledge he made last year to evict the herders following public outcry.
The Operation code named, “Operation Rudi Nyumbani” a Kiswahili word for return home, kicked off on 23rd March 2018 in the greater Northern Districts of Gulu, Amuru, Nwoya and Omoro and is so far progressing well.
According to Brig.Kanyesigye, over 10,000 heads of cattle have crossed from the North via Karuma aboard trucks, being taken by owners back to where they came from.
“We are implementing a Presidential directive given to the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries which requires that these nomads go back to where they came from,” Kanyesigye said on Tuesday.
The operation, according to the UPDF fourth division commander is being done in phases and will cover the entire Northern Uganda region in a period of one month.
Participating forces are mainly the UPDF soldiers of the 4 Infantry Division, Uganda Police Forces, Resident District Commissioners, District security officers, and Veterinary Doctors.
He adds that cows are only be loaded during the day in identified guarded premises and allowed to move on presentation of vaccination and movement permits to avoid thefts and spread of diseases.
The targeted number of cattle for transfer in this operation is an estimate of above 100,000 cattle in the entire region.
While on a countrywide tour to rally the citizens to support the Land Amendment Bill last year, Museveni promised them that he would direct the army to evict the cattle keepers at the back to their original areas.
This was after the locals complained to him of destruction of their gardens, land grabbing and harassment of the locals by the Balaalo grazers.
Several districts around the country have resolved to evict the Balaalo from their areas back to their origins.
