PADER-Rwot David Onen Acana II, the Paramount Chief of the Acholi Cultural Chiefdom has written to President Yoweri Museveni, pleading that government halts the eviction of people from the land that became dormant as its ranches in Pader district failed to produce agricultural yields.
Museveni in July 2022, directed government agencies including the Ministry of Agriculture to provide agricultural materials for the massive production of maize and soybean to boost regional food security where Aswa Ranch was picked for this purpose.
As such, the National Animal Genetic Resource Center and Data Bank [NAGRC and DB] in September started clearing over 28 square miles of land in Aswa and Acholi ranches in Pader district for maize and soybean production.
This exercise, which will likely leave over 5,000 households in 12 villages in the two districts homeless, has sparked concerns over alleged encroachment on community land by government.
Another concern that has emerged is the disparity of land titles in Aswa Ranch, with one showing a leasehold of 49 and another 99 years.
In his recent letter to the president, Rwot Acana complained of the careless clearing of land, which has left over 50,000 shea nut trees destroyed in Pader district, and encroachment on community land.
He also demanded that while opening the boundaries, especially in Pader district, the land documents of 1968 be used in the presence of elders and members of the community.
He said there are already concerns regarding the ownership of the land by NAGRC, given the alleged attempt to have a lease for the 105, 400-acre piece of land altered, with efforts to covert the land title from leasehold to freehold allegedly underway.
Acana is also demanding that Museveni meets the affected locals in Pader district after their properties including crops, houses, graves were destroyed.
On Saturday last week, elders and cultural leaders petitioned Acana over the massive destruction of protected sacred shea nut trees and encroachment into community land by NAGRC and DB.
Fearless Obwoya, the Pader District LCV Chairperson said that despite the fact government owns Aswa Ranch, the illegal extension of boundary lines manifested by the planting of new mark stones is worrying.
Obwoya said that Angagura Sub-county villages of Bur-lobo with 370 households, Pabit with 102, Bira, 89, Labwoto 82, Lubala 45 Aringo-yon, 80, and Leyo-gweyo with 78 households, are affected.
Other villages affected in Laguti Sub-county include; Lakwor, Kalili, Onyon, Lagot-Oywee and Lakakanya e fear of being evicted if the exercise continued.
Santa Okot, the Aruu North County Member of Parliament in an interview with our reporter said halting the activities by NAGRC would give a chance to the government to explain the project to the people but also provide ample time for those staying within the ranch to relocate.
MP Okot said they are preparing to sue and ask the government to compensate the affected people.
“It seems our plea to get this matter resolved peacefully with the government fell on dead ears. I am glad the Paramount Chief has taken over the matter. What is happening is an infringement on the rights of our people in the name of providing food security,” Okot said.
She said Aswa Ranch stopped operations during the Iddi Amin-induced political insurgency followed by the over two-decade Lord’s Resistance Army [LRA] war, leaving some people utilising the dormant land for at least 2 decades.
https://thecooperator.news/govt-officials-on-spot-over-displacement-of-people-in-northern-uganda/
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