'Votes won't save Acholi, unity will', says Paramount Chief Acana

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As the drums of the 2026 general elections begin to thunder across northern Uganda, the Paramount Chief of Acholi, Rwot David Onen Acana II, has warned political candidates that the sub-region’s deep-seated poverty and land crises cannot be solved by the ballot alone.

He cautioned that the current "political fever" must not blind the Acholi people to the internal divisions that are leaving them vulnerable to economic exploitation and land grabbing.

The cultural leader expressed deep concern over the rising "opposition attitude" that often surfaces during election cycles, where leaders and locals work in isolation rather than as a united front.

His warning is that if the trend of division continues into the 2026 polls, the future of the Acholi people will be "doomed", as fragmented leadership has historically made it impossible for the region to benefit from significant government programmes.

Acana challenged top Acholi leaders to stop using their positions to tear the community apart and instead unite to secure the region’s interests.

'One heart'

The Apaa land wrangle remains an unhealed wound in the sub-region.

The paramount chief said that while the government has made attempts to intervene, the lack of a conclusive resolution continues to fuel instability.

He said the land crisis is being exacerbated by poverty, with desperate families selling ancestral land for charcoal production — a move he described as selling the region's future for a temporary meal.

​On the economic front, Acana stood firm against the exploitation of farmers, who are often forced to sell their produce at "throw-away prices" to opportunistic middlemen.

He called for a radical shift in how agriculture is handled in Acholi, insisting that those who sweat in the gardens must reap the rewards.

He urged farmers to work with "one heart" and collective effort to push back against price exploitation, especially as political promises of wealth creation begin to flood the airwaves ahead of 2026.

​The Acholi leader also touched on the 'balalo' (nomadic pastoralists) issue and the persistent cattle theft by suspected Karimojong warriors in east Acholi.

He said the government has yet to accomplish its promise of fully resolving the balalo issue, saying the matter continues to displace local farmers.

With the 2026 polling beginning next week, he challenged the state to prioritise the security of the Acholi person’s cattle and land over mere political mobilisation.

'Development in our houses'

​Beyond politics and land, the Rwot sounded an alarm on the "bad future" facing Acholi youth due to high primary school dropout rates.

He appealed to both parents and the government to ensure children complete their education, as an uneducated population cannot survive the economic pressures of the future.

He also decried the "cultural degradation" caused by foreign influences, urging his subjects to stick to their traditional values amidst an influx of different ethnic groups into the sub-region.

Acana said real change will not come from a polling station, but from a change in "work attitude", calling for the "circularity of wealth," where money stays within the Acholi community through trade and mutual support.

​"If you are a farmer, do it with one heart; if you are a chief, lead well. We need development in our houses, and this can only happen when we work as one. If we remain divided, our future will be bleak."