Africa-Press – Uganda. President Museveni last week overturned a directive by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja on the eviction of residents on the contested Apaa land.
While on his tour of Acholi Sub-region, President Museveni clarified that Ms Nabbanja’s pronouncement in Amuru and Adjumani districts that was supposed to see more than 40,000 Apaa locals vacating in the next three months was based on an old Cabinet resolution.
“The Prime Minister was here recently and she went with the position, which was earlier passed in 2019,” he said.
Mr Museveni revealed that the former Speaker of Parliament, the late Jacob Oulanyah, had opposed the Cabinet resolution before requesting that it be reviewed.
“Before we carried out that decision, the late Oulanyah, when I came to Omoro, proposed that they study it again. I agreed they form a committee with Gen Moses Ali but they didn’t conclude until Oulanyah died,” the President said.
He further noted that after the death of Oulanyah, he met with other leaders from the sub-region such as Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, who agreed that a judicial inquiry be carried out.
“There was a delay in forming the commission but I am going to sign the instrument so that the judicial commission comes and gets facts as judges, not based on rumours. The recommendations will guide us,” he said.
This newspaper has established that the President’s change of position on Apaa land was triggered by widespread condemnation of the Prime Minister’s directive by the Acholi, who accused the state of attempting to secure the contested land for an investor.
Early last week, residents living in the disputed Apaa land stormed the Acholi Chiefdom palace with coffins in protest against the government’s directive to evict them from the area.
The protestors also petitioned Acholi Paramount Chief David Onen Acana II over the decision and challenged him to influence and cause President Museveni to possibly cause a reversal of the decision.
BACKGROUND
On February 15, Ms Nabbanja read out a Cabinet decision to the Acholi leaders, directing the locals occupying the contested Apaa land, to vacate within three months. Likewise, Apaa Central market was going to be closed within one month. But that has been rescinded by the President.
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