Humanist

Consciously and even sub-consciously, I believe, I have a constant hunger to be nourished by knowledge of my cultural roots. To understand from whence I came and who my people were pre-colonization.

When I learn something about my ancestors and their way of life, I attempt to adapt and live by my new learning. Each time, new knowledge of my cultural roots makes me giddy and lifts my spirits.

Irrespective of the knowledge being of a tragic incidence or of it being about lost positive wisdom. I simply delight in knowing about my cultural roots.

And once I learn something about my cultural roots, I often do not want to stay quiet about it. I tell a story about it and get it out there. This lifts my spirits. Especially so, if my storytelling contributes to bursting myths.

For example, currently, there is loads of information being put out there about the balaalo, most of whom originate from western Uganda.

I was particularly taken aback when I heard deliberate misinformation in which people were throwing around terms, like genocide of the balaalo. Creating a false impression a ethnic group, balaalo, is under attack by another ethnic group.

The false narrative being that the first nation of Acholi, number about two million and who claim a part of northern Uganda as their homeland, are somehow to blame for wanting balaalo off their land.

Machiavellian insensitive attempts in play to draw parallels with the plight of Palestinians on whom Netenyahu’s Israel is committing a genocide, an ethnocide of their culture and grabbing their lands.

First factoid burst. Among the 65 ethnic groups, first nations of Uganda, recognized in the Uganda Constitution, balaalo are not one of them.

Uganda’s indigenous communities as at 1st February 1926 and 2024 population

Balaalo are migrant cattle keepers, with a propensity for free-ranging livestock; often in a manner that disrespects land user rights of others, especially sedentary smallholder farming households.

It is reported that some balaalo have allegedly occupied communal land of Acholi through informal or fraudulent arrangements often without approval from authorities of Acholi clans.

Second factoid burst. If allegations are true that balaalo have occupied Acholi land, without approval from authorities of Acholi clans, their assertion that they have ‘legitimate land ownership titles’ of Acholi land are in question.

As with the majority of land in Uganda, land in Acholi is mostly held under Customary Tenure.

“Customary tenure is applicable to a specific area of land and a specific description or class of persons; governed by rules generally accepted as binding and authoritative by the class of persons to which it applies; applicable to any persons acquiring land in that area in accordance with those rules; and characterized by local customary regulation.” Constitution of the Republic of Uganda

The findings of an “audit of herders who claim to have legitimately purchased and fenced off lands,” in Acholi, as decreed by Executive Order of President Museveni, are of interest. I look forward to reading the audit findings.

Recommended additional reading “Conflicts in Uganda’s Land Tenure.”

In the meantime, word of caution to all those politicking, especially opposition politicians attempting to unseat President Museveni’s National Resistance Movement (NRM) in the 2026 elections.

Desist from using the balaalo saga to get sound bites against the people of Acholi, for if you do, you will be on the wrong side.

On the balaalo saga, President Museveni is on the right side of the law of the land; and the right side of a leader’s moral compass.

It is the right decision to ban and criminalize free-ranging livestock, large herds of animals, unleashed in a an area in which majority residents are of smallholder sedentary farming households.

Acholi are not the first and only first nation of Uganda to demand for and benefit from such a ban. In 2006, balaalo were evicted from Iteso land.

Iteso number about 3.1 million, are the fourth largest first nation of Uganda and are my people, my ancestry, we, who claim ownership of part of North-Eastern Uganda as our homeland.

Third factoid burst. The balaalo saga is not about negative tribalism. It is about stopping a way of life, if you will, economic practice by migrant cattle keepers, that harms and disrespects land rights of others.

For more insights, on the balalo saga I recommend:

Form more insights on balaalo saga, recommended additional reading: The Observers’ “Museveni issues another eviction order for balaalo to exit northern Uganda.”

Back to today’s writing prompt. Yes, everyday, I try to seek knowledge about my ancestors, whom I truly believe lived and practiced a sustainable lifestyle and were more egalitarian within their respective communities at least.

I try to emulate my ancestor’s lifestyle, the best as I can.