Unconfirmed reports say 30 percent of Acholi Customary arable land has been registered under freehold by unscrupulous people who come from other regions.
GULU-UGANDA: The 2006 Juba Peace Talks between Uganda Government and Lord`s Resistance Army agreed to allow two million displaced people in the internally displaced camps to resettle on their ancestral lands.
But sooner or later than land conflicts drastically rose within the Acholi Community in a move vividly masterminded by Uganda Government under Yoweri Museveni`s National Resistance Movement-NRM.
Consequently the Acholi Paramount Chief, Onen David Acana II pledged to register all ancestral lands in Acholi to stop land grabbing which is perpetrated by government.
This followed ensuing land conflicts in Apaa in Amuru district, Arana in Nwoya district all including state agencies.
Concerns were raised by Acholi scholars during a March fire point discussion (Wang Oo) that the looming forceful eviction by the Uganda Wildlife Authority-UWA in Apaa must be abetted.
The people discussed that the evictions undermine the August 26th 2006 Juba Peace Talks signed to cease hostilities and propagandas that promotes violence.
But intellects say there has been difficulties in implementing the agreement which necessitate its review.
Who are the Acholi People?
Wikipedia defines People as the Nilo-Shemetic Luo ethnic group who migrated from Bhar el Ghazal South Sudan, Magwi County and Northern Uganda. They are found in the districts of Agago, Amuru, Gulu, Kitgum, Nwoya and Pader.
Historically they can be traced back to Meroe Kingdom, Mesopotamia, Egyptology and Ethiopia plateau.
Okot Mark who is 102, years old says Acholi community achieved peace and were guaranteed full authority though the Juba Peace Talks collapsed in 2008.
He argues that Acholi`s paramount chief, Onen David Acana II should have come with the Acholi Agenda on land.
But Acana II cries that his father never showed him the land boundaries in Acholi when he was still alive.
“Instead of standing with the Acholi community, Rwot Acana II went too dine with Uganda tyranny President Museveni, because he was getting UGX 8 million as a monthly salary from Uganda government.” Okot said.
He added that big chunks of Acholi in Kilak Ololim hunting ground stretching 80 kilometers from Attiak to Palabek has been grabbed by grabbed by President Museveni.
He further says the 60 kilometers stretch from Palabek to Lukung in Lamwo district is equally owned by Museveni now.
But Acana II says from his palace during Wang Oo that registering ancestral land under trust holding is the only way to stop unscrupulous men used by government to grab land in Acholi.
He urges that all the 54 clan chiefs in Acholi should sensitize their people on the planned land trust registration exercise.
“We the chiefs must go and tell them the danger which is facing our land, otherwise the foreigner in the name of investors and other government agents will take our land, we are going being told that in other districts in Uganda children are being told that they should read hard because there are jobs in Acholi.” Rwot Acana stated.
Hon. Livingstone Okello Okello former Member of Parliament, and the former Land Commissioner and now the Current Chairman for the Acholi Wang OO group equally has no kind words to the chiefdom.
He explained that in 2006 his suggestion to register Acholi land under trust was adamantly rejected and condemned. Okello Okello cautioned that Acholi risks losing all its land.
Okello Okello says in 2006 when he came up with the ideas of registering all Acholi land under land trust ownership, many people condemned his suggestion. Now if we don’t register all the land in Acholi, our land is gone.
“When I came up with the ideas of registering land trust ownership, the people of Lukung said our land will not be registered. Now where is their land?’’ Okello Okello wondered.
He think that maybe it was because Museveni appointed their son Norman Ojwee as the Resident District Commissioner for Kitgum.
Acholi Chiefdom Prime Minister, Ambrose Olaa stands that plans for registering all land in Acholi under customary ownership is still alive.
“We are still perusing plans to register all our land, only except that Rwot David Onen Achana is out of the country.” Oola said. E
