Dr. Omona the state Minister of Northern Uganda handing over motorcycle keys to one of the DVO’s at OPM office in Gulu City. Photos by Arnest Tumwesige
By Arnest Tumwesige
Gulu: Over 53,000 heads of cattle belonging to nomadic pastoralists, commonly known as Balalo, have been evicted from Gulu, Amuru, Nwoya districts and parts of the West Nile sub-region.
The eviction exercise, which commenced in March 2025, is being conducted in line with President Yoweri Museveni’s Executive Order No. 3 of 2023 and Executive Order No. 2 of 2025. The operation is being implemented in phases by UPDF, District Veterinary Officers (DVO’s), Police and other sister agencies, initially targeting cattle owned by Balalo grazing on government land, unfenced community land, and areas without water dams.
The progress of the exercise was disclosed on Monday in Gulu City during the handover of five motorcycles donated by the Office of the Prime Minister to DVOs of Amuru, Gulu, Madi-Okollo, Nwoya and Apac districts, areas with a high concentration of Balalo herds.
Alfred Opio, the Gulu District Veterinary Officer, said Palaro Sub-county has been the epicenter of Balalo settlement, with more than 14,000 heads of cattle previously grazing in the area. He noted that for a long time, his office had faced serious transport challenges in reaching distant Balalo settlements due to poor terrain.
“The only motorcycle the office has been using was purchased 15 years ago under the then National Agricultural Advisory Services,” Opio told GNNA, adding that the newly acquired motorcycles will significantly improve field operations.
Because most Balalo settlements are located in hard-to-reach areas, Opio said the motorcycles will ease movement along narrow footpaths during the implementation of Operation Harmony, the ongoing eviction exercise.
Progress achieved
Col. Orombi Oloya, the UPDF 4th Division officer in charge of training, who represented the Division Commander at the function, said that since the start of the operation, over 53,000 heads of cattle have so far been evicted from Amuru, Nwoya, Gulu districts and parts of the West Nile sub-region area that belong under the UPDF 4th Division responsibility.
He noted that while the operation kicked off smoothly, it has faced several setbacks, including limited transport, reluctance by some cattle owners to remove livestock from holding grounds before loading onto trucks, and cases where locals connived with Balalo to falsely claim ownership of impounded cattle.
With an estimate of about 102,000 heads of cattle occupying the region, Col. Oromni said the operation has so far evicted half of the total population.
Osborn Geoffrey Oceng, the Amuru Resident District Commissioner (RDC) and dean of RDCs in the Acholi sub-region, acknowledged the challenge of locals claiming ownership of evicted animals.
“Poverty is real in our communities. You find a local person with no trace of owning cattle suddenly claiming hundreds of cows after being given small amounts of money by Balalo,” Oceng observed.
However, he said the use of grassroots security systems and thorough verification processes has helped address the challenge by identifying rightful owners of the livestock.
Florence Alanyo, the Assistant Gulu RDC, emphasized that as Uganda transitions into a money economy, DVOs entrusted with the motorcycles must ensure they are properly utilized to achieve their intended purpose.
With hundreds of cattle already evicted, the State Minister for Northern Uganda, Dr. Kenneth Olusegun Omona, reaffirmed that Executive Order No. 2 of 2025 will be implemented to the letter as directed by the President.
Dr. Omona said the NRM government remains committed to fulfilling its promises to citizens across the country, particularly in Northern Uganda. He added that the distribution of motorcycles is a demonstration of that commitment and a clear signal that all illegal cattle in Northern Uganda will be evicted.
The Minister further urged DVOs to prepare for more comprehensive work in 2026 beyond cattle eviction, noting that the government has already planned a restocking program for the region.
