Museveni Extends Deadline for Balaalo to Vacate Northern Uganda after Talking to Gen Saleh.

President Yoweri Museveni has written to Gen Salim Saleh Akandwanaho, addressing the extension of the ban on the presence of Balaalo herdsmen in Northern Uganda. In a letter dated June 26, 2023, the President acknowledged the concerns raised by Acholi leaders and emphasized the need to address certain issues while implementing Executive Order No. 3 of 2023.

President Museveni acknowledged the advantages outlined in Gen Saleh’s letter, but stressed the importance of preventing the Balaalo cattle from trampling the crops of local residents. He suggested implementing strong fencing and providing on-farm water as potential solutions. Additionally, the President emphasized the significance of legally acquiring or leasing the land used by the Balaalo.

"I have seen your letter dated the 26th of June, 2023, regarding the Balaalo issue.

I picked it up because some Acholi leaders were complaining about it. The Advantages you have outlined are obvious. The only issues to take care of are: no kwoneseza wanainchi (the Balaalo cattle trampling wanainchi’s crops) and the answer for that is strong fencing and providing on farm water; and legally buying or leasing the land the Balaalo are using," Museveni acknowledged.

"To be avoided on the latter point is the practice of exploiting the knowledge gap between the immigrants (the Bafurukyi) and the Bataka (the indigenous people) where they collude with a few individuals in the family or clan to make the purchases and yet the land does not belong to the individuals.

If these two factors are guarded against, then the migration (in effect investments) by the elite would be healthy and symbiotic.

The Government would, then, seek to help other locals to learn from the Bafurukyi and develop a strong broad-based, dairy and beef industry in the North," he emphasized.

 The president further said, "Therefore, as we agreed on the phone and as I communicated through my radio message DTG 01 1550C July 23, I hereby extend the deadline of the Executive Order to the 30th of September, 2023.

Use that time to further clarify the issues involved."