Balaalo matter: Museveni outlines 'mistakes' by nomadic herders

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BALAALO MATTER

President Yoweri Museveni has again weighed in on the issue of the nomadic herders (balaalo) in northern and eastern parts of Uganda, with his latest attention drawn to what he calls "lies and distortions on social media" over the sticky matter.

His latest comments, addressed to Ugandans and also shared in a series of posts on his social media platform X page, come only weeks after Museveni ordered the balaalo  with non-fened farmland in the Greater North to leave the region within three weeks. Specifically, that is Lango, Acholi and West Nile sub-regions.

In that directive, he said it is "reckless" for balaalo to have cows in non-fenced areas.

"Therefore, I direct the division commander and the regional police commander and then the Minister of Northern Uganda to issue orders for these people to move their cows. Anybody who has got cows in a non-fenced area, they must go. All of them,” said Museveni in late June.

Fast-forward to Sunday (July 6), the President has made a case for the evictions by pointing out issues such as destruction of crops, lack of fencing, use of unsuitable land, and obstruction of public routes. 

Citing peaceful settlers as examples, he has also dismissed tribalism claims in the eviction orders. Museveni has also condemned illegal grazing on government ranches, adding that local justice efforts are being undermined by arrogant herders and armed interference, prompting his intervention.

Here is the President's July 6, 2025 statement in full:
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❝Fellow Ugandans, especially the Bazzukulu. 

Greetings. My social media manager has drawn my attention to the lies and distortions on the social media about the issue of the balaalo in northern, northwestern and eastern Uganda. The mistakes by the balaalo in those areas are the following:

1. Okwonesa (cattle or other livestock grazing on other people’s crops). Is that part of patriotism of a united Uganda? Is that part of the freedom of movement of Ugandans within Uganda?

2. That kwonesa (livestock eating people’s crops) comes from introducing cattle in an area where there is no senge-nge (barbed wire) - good barbed wires or even chain links (obutiimba) to deal with the goats.

3. Even those who may have fenced, they may not have permanent water sources on the farm (bought or rented). Hence, in the dry season, they move out to look for water and, hence, kwonera people (livestock eating people’s crops).

4. Then, there is fencing carelessly by blocking people’s routes to the Nile River or other public facilities.

5. The issue of non-Acholis or northerners legally owning land in the north comes in last. It is this one that should involve the lawyers. Which land did you, the mulaalo, buy or rent? Was it communal land fraudulently sold or rented by a few people or was it private land? The legality of the land ownership, however, is not the immediate irritant. Whether you legally bought or rented the land, you have no right to kwoneseza people (your livestock grazing on people’s crops); nor do you have the right to block people’s access routes.

Regarding the kwonesa, that is why removing the cattle and other livestock that come from outside that area from the area is appropriate, so that the issue of legal ownership can be settled peacefully. The non-Acholi, non-northerners who do crop agriculture in the area, do not generate the same outcry. Why? They do not kwonesa. Crops do not kwoona other crops.

6. These patriotic balaalo that love Uganda so much that they move around in disorderly ways have invaded government ranches. This patriotic action stops the Goverment from doing its planned projects there, such as cattle breeding. It also instigates the locals to ask the question: “If the Government does not need the ranches, why do they not allow us to also settle in them?”

7. Did these balaalo get legal cattle movement permits in the first place? This is ebaruha y’okufuruka (movement permit). The givers of these permits should always ensure that there are no problems (diseases, ownership, etc.) where the cattle are coming from and no problems where the cattle are going (diseases, space, kwonesa potential, etc). If the permits were legally given, why was the scarcity of water, the lack of fencing, the kwonesa, etc not checked?

8. Did they get cattle movement permits into the  Government ranches? Therefore, our great freedom fighter Andrew Mwenda should not misdirect his efforts about my executive orders condoning tribal chauvinism that frowns at Ugandans migrating legally to other areas. I know of a Munyoro woman, Adyeeri, who is a big farmer in Nwoya, growing fruits. She is very much loved from what I saw by the locals. The resentment by the locals and my executive orders are not about the legal and rational actors. They are both directed at the illegal and the irrational.

9. Northerners, also kwoneseza one another (livestock eating crops). However, I hear, that for them, they have their local practices, which are also common in other areas, where you kutsibika (tie) the offending cow until the owner comes to redeem it and pays a fine.

However, apparently, these justice measures cannot be followed by some of the arrogant balaalo who will come with their armed relatives from the army and, therefore, these simple justice practices cannot apply to such powerful people. That is why they need the executive order of the President of Uganda.

Signed: 
Yoweri K. Museveni
Ssaabalwanyi