The Speaker of Uganda’s Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga (pictured) has asked government to explain why cattle keepers commonly known as Balalo are using lockdown to illegally settle in various parts of the country with their herds of cattle without being restricted by security.
“Who is exempted from the curfew? Who are these ones moving at night? I think government must explain,” Kadaga said.
The Speaker said government should give parliament a statement on this issue of Balalo invading various parts of the country.
The Speaker made the remarks during today’s plenary session after Aswa County MP, Regan Okumu raised the matter, stating that the Balalo are increasingly traveling at night and illegally settling in Gulu and Nwoya areas with their cows. Okumu accused them of stealing cows of the local community.
“My prayer is that before people take the law into their hands, it should not take one or two weeks (before evicting them) because our people are not going to wait; they will have to defend themselves and chase away these people who do not own land but they want to invade our areas. Government must act and go down to the ground and keep security and evict the balalo within one week or else I don’t see how they would be able to stop the people from getting hold of the balalo and their cattle,” Okumu said.
Kasilo County MP, Elijah Okupa also said that the Balaro are bribing local councils and security officers to travel with cows to the areas of their interest yet the country is under COVID-19 lockdown and curfew.
