Global Politics
UGANDA: ACHOLI LEGISLATORS UP IN ARMS WITH GOVERNMENT OF UGANDA OVER LAND GRABBING
The government of Uganda is distributing Acholi land to Balalo, and taunting us that even if you have big land you are not utilizing it-Gilbert Olanya
Finally, Acholi Parliamentarians Groups (AGPs) took the government to court over land grabbing.
If it is not the downgrading of interest of Acholi people, because of this, I would not be sitting side by side with Gilbert Olanya on the same table dragging the government of Uganda over Aswa land of Acholi. Let us put our “Kaka” people first, then the party will come to Late-Tony Awany. Sued.
GULU CITY-FRIDAY, 3,2023. David Komakech, the area Councilor of Laguti Sub County, Pader district couldn’t hide his mood on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, during press conference called by the Acholi Parliamentarian Groups at Northern Uganda Media Club, NUMEC.
Says a long walk to sued government of Uganda for forcefully grabbing Aswa ranch, Acoli-pii refugee, Lipan community, Got Apwoyo ranches, land has come to passed.
“I am happy that we have gone ahead, this could go on record as the district of Pader, we have a number of evidence, attended numbers of meetings, but people go behind you. Even the government ministers tell us that we are doing it for our benefit, but later we are given an ultimatum of three days to leave Acol-pii land.” Komakech reasoned.
“This land grabber I know when they learned that Acholi Parliamentarians Groups, Acholi Ker Kal Kwaro and groups of Lawyers have sued the Uganda government they will use all sources of resources to woo you, including divisive means to divide us.”
Walter Okidi Ladwar and Company Advocate, Julius Ojok and Company Advocate, Louis Odongo and Company Advocate and Okello Oryem and Company Advocate are the lawyers who together fronted to sue the Attorney General.
Today, Friday Feb 3, 2023, at 8.30 AM went to Gulu High Court Circuit and registered their suit before the Deputy General, Gulu High Court, the suit read in part.
“You are hereby required to file a defense in the said suit within 15 days from the date of service of summons on you in the manner prescribed under 0.9 r.1 Civil. Procedure Rule S.1 71-1, Laws of Uganda.
Should you fail to file a defense on or before the date, the plaintiff may proceed with the suit and judgment may be given in your absence.
Given Under my hand and the seal of the court this 2, day of Feb. 2023.
Therefore, in the suitcase document the persons who are named as defendants of the suit are as follows: Ker Kwaro Acholi plaintiff, Hon. Akol Anthony second plaintiff, Hon. Santa Okot third plaintiff, Hon. Achan Judith 4th plaintiff, Hon. Gilbert Olanya5th plaintiff, Tonny Awany 5th PLAINTIFF, Hon. Acora Nancy 6th plaintiff, Hon. Lamwaka Margaret 7th plaintiff, Komakech Christopher 8th plaintiff, Hon. Lagen David 9th plaintiff and Hon. Onekalit Dennis Amere.
Tonny Awany and Gilbert Olanya who led a walk to table the plaintiff to the office of Attorney General Chamber in Gulu City says whereas the government has land in Aswa ranch, Got Apwoyo ranch, Acol-pii those areas. But the broader issues we cannot take it simply.
“In 1960s Acholi community offered Aswa Ranch to Uganda Livestock Industry 68,000 hectors of land for beef industry funded project as pre-request for World Bank Project wanted resources, Acholi gave 68,00 hectors not 105,400 hectors as is being claimed by the government. Now Aswa ranch boundaries are now being extended to Abera Forest in Lamwo district, which was not covered because of Tsetse fly and Ajan sub country and Laguti sub county in Pader district the areas have been converted into Aswa ranch. Never compensated by that time” Tonny Awany claimed.
There is some gross people who have entered to the area taking 30,000 hectares in the new areas like Angagura, Ajan and Laguti sub counties, I would like to be thankful briefly says that today we have taken our case by filing it into Attorney General Office, office of Banuti Ranch, Uganda Livestock Industry Limited, ARPE Limited and Commissioner Land Registration. We have taken this time as abiding citizens.
However, now Uganda Police Forces, Uganda Prison, NAGRC and Animal Stock Industry have started farming in Aswa ranch, was the Aswa Ranch offered for farming or was it for the beefing industry? Awany remarked.
“When you go to Aswa ranch today you will shed tears right now the government is distributing land among themselves. They are now rendering Aswa ranch to Balalo, the government has no good will toward us, other people in Kampala are telling us that Acholi you have big land, but you are not using it.
We shall not leave any stone un turn, we shall go to Abera in Lamwo district and Aswa ranch in Pader to see what is happening.
That recently, the plaintiffs came to learn that Uganda Livestock Industries Ltd was revived and upon revival fraudulently procured a conversion of the leasehold they held in trust for the Aswa Valley Project from a leasehold into two freehold titles known as FRV 1560 Folio 21 and FRV 1560Folio 22.
The 2nd Defendant subsequently created them as plot 24 Lamwo Block 3, meaning 15,930 Hectares and as Plot 7 Block 2 Aruu County Pader District over the same land to the 3rd and 4th Defendant.
That the 2nd defendant fraudulently subdivided the freehold certificate of title and created new titles, and then proceeded to lease the land to 3 defendants.
Gilbert Olanya says the only thing now needed is to let the court injunction be put in place to stop those land grabbers using the land.
“We have learned that there are some leaders in Pader district who have called or invited the government to divide Aswa ranch, yesterday when the minister of Land and Animals Husbandry appeared before Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, says the leaders of Pader district who have called them to invest in Aswa ranch, which means you the leaders from Pader you are the one who did this” Gilbert Olanya asked them.
Stella Kijange, one 0f the lead Counsel from Okidi Ladwar and Company who presented the groups of lawyers and social activists says we know land in Northern Uganda we are under customary land tenner system which 90 percent, when we look at a cross of land from Omoro, Agago Pader Kitgum Lamwo and Amuru districts those people who are using land are the children and youths who have labour forces.
“Let look at Kaka Acholi as an institution not politics because political parties will not solve our problems of land” Stella Kijange argued.
The groups of leaders who came from Angagura, Ajan and Laguti sub counties in Pader district accompanied Tonny Awany and Gilbert Olanya including John Christ Mugisa, the Area Councilor 5 of Angagura Sub County to hand over the plaintiff document case to Attorney General office.
