Over 15,000 cattle farmers across Northern Uganda are appealing for a presidential review of eviction orders, warning that the directive threatens lawful landholders, disrupts the local economy, and undermines investor confidence in the region.
The farmers, who convened in Kigumba town, Kiryandongo District, say the recent presidential directive ordering the expulsion of all cattle keepers—commonly referred to as Baraaro—from West Nile, Lango, and Acholi sub-regions, is being executed without due legal scrutiny and has been influenced by tribal and political tensions.
“This is not just a humanitarian issue. This is about the collapse of livelihoods and the distortion of lawful land rights,” said Alex Mwesige, chairperson of the Northern Uganda Commercial Farmers Association. “Many of us bought land legally and have documents to prove ownership. We have complied with every guideline issued by the state.”
Mwesige questioned the rationale behind targeting a population that significantly contributes to the agricultural economy through milk production, cattle sales, and local revenue taxes. “Evicting commercial farmers will destabilize the district economy. We expect the state to uphold the Constitution, not bow to pressure from political actors pushing tribal agendas,” he added.
The presidential order, issued last week, follows longstanding tensions between indigenous communities and pastoralists over land use and ownership. However, affected farmers argue that the sweeping nature of the directive fails to differentiate between illegal land occupants and law-abiding agricultural investors.
Sophia Natukunda, a commercial farmer in the Acholi region, said the directive had already triggered fear and disinvestment. “We followed every presidential guideline, including land demarcation. Now we are abandoning farms and facing famine,” she said.
The eviction order is expected to impact over 10,000 individuals and over a million head of cattle. Farmers warn that the abrupt action could result in a food security crisis and an economic downturn in districts that rely heavily on the livestock sector.
Geoffrey Mwiine, who owns over 300 acres in Amuru District, emphasized that the livestock sector is one of the largest contributors to local government revenue. “We pay taxes. We employ labor. We boost local economies. Why treat us like criminals without investigation?”
Farmers are now calling for an independent inquiry into land ownership claims and a transparent dispute resolution mechanism rather than blanket evictions. They argue that classifying all cattle keepers under the pejorative term Baraaro fuels harmful stereotypes and ethnic divisions.
“We are Ugandans. This is our country too,” said Edward Tumwesigye Kananura, who has operated a dairy farm in Amuru since 2014. “I have over 500 cows producing 10,000 liters of milk daily. That’s not just for me—that’s for the market, for the region.”
The farmers say unless the eviction order is reviewed with urgency and fairness, it could erode public trust in government land policy and ignite broader social unrest in a region still recovering from past conflict.
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