Balaalo pastoralists sue govt over N.Uganda evictions

Over 300 Balaalo pastoralists have dragged the government to the High court, seeking to halt ongoing evictions from northern Uganda.

The suit, filed on Tuesday before the Civil Division of the High court in Kampala, challenges the enforcement of President Yoweri Museveni’s Executive Order No. 3 of 2023, which directed the eviction of pastoralists accused of illegally occupying land in the region.

The contested order, initially issued in May 2023 and re-enforced in 2025, targets pastoralists, mainly the Balaalo, for allegedly failing to fence their farms, encroaching on community lands, and degrading local livelihoods.

The applicants, represented by Mwesigwa Rukutana and Company Advocates, include Franco Namanya, John Ssenyonga Gonzaga, Steven Bugingo, Rudasingwa Dennis Joshua, Mugundu Yowasi, Joy Mbabazi, James Kamugisha, Geoffrey Murangira, Sam Kigambo, Peter Tumusiime, and Benon Muchomboro.

In their petition, the pastoralists claim they are now facing a June 25, 2025, deadline issued by Maj Gen Felix Busizoori, commander of the UPDF 4th Infantry Division and backed by police commissioner Ocaya Phillip to vacate the region or face forced removal.

They also cite a 14-day ultimatum from Dr Kenneth Omona, minister for Northern Uganda, allegedly issued without consultations or legal hearings. The applicants argue that the enforcement actions violate their constitutional rights to property, fair hearing, and freedom of movement.

They assert that no verification process has been conducted to determine their legal status as settlers, despite many having acquired compliance certificates and invested heavily in infrastructure such as fencing, dip tanks, water points, and homes.

They further claim to have lived peacefully alongside local communities, paid local taxes, and contributed significantly to the regional economy through livestock trade and milk production. According to court documents, over 400,000 head of cattle are at risk, potentially disrupting local markets and livelihoods.

The Balaalo contend that the directive unfairly targets them based on ethnicity, while other livestock-keeping groups operating under similar circumstances have not been subjected to eviction.

The applicants are aggrieved by the above directives and state that they infringe or threaten to infringe on their fundamental and other human rights and freedoms, which they say violate several Articles of the Constitution.

The cattle keepers are now seeking a court injunction to stop the eviction process pending a judicial review into the legality and fairness of the presidential directive. They argue the eviction is premature and unlawful, as it precedes proper verification of their proprietary and possessory interests in the contested land.

The Attorney General has been listed as the sole respondent in the case. As of now, the court has not yet fixed a hearing date, nor has the respondent filed a defense.