Over 3,000 cattle exit Acholi, West Nile as UPDF enforce Museveni’s Executive Order 2

Gulu, Uganda: More than 3,000 cattle belonging to migrant herders known locally as Balaalo have been moved out of the Acholi and West Nile sub-regions, as security forces commence enforcement of President Museveni’s Executive Order No. 2, aimed at ending land conflicts and crop destruction linked to free-range grazing.

According to Maj. Gen. Felix Busizoori, Commander of the UPDF Fourth Infantry Division, a total of 3,119 cattle had exited by June 28, marking the start of the second phase of voluntary eviction under Operation Harmony. The operation, which began on June 25, is jointly implemented by the UPDF and Uganda Police Force.

“Despite some complaints and resistance, many cattle keepers have started complying with the presidential directive,” Gen. Busizoori said. He added that most cattle were removed from kraals and are now assembled at holding grounds in respective sub-counties awaiting transportation.

President Museveni’s Executive Order No. 2, issued on June 1, 2025, reaffirmed a 2023 directive banning migratory herders from grazing livestock across Northern and Northeastern Uganda. The President cited the primitive spreading of land misuse that fuels community tensions and destroys crops.

Under the directive, herders were given two weeks to voluntarily remove their animals before forceful evictions begin.

The operation, expected to last 65 days, comes amid legal challenges by over 300 cattle keepers who have petitioned the High Court, arguing the exercise violates their constitutional rights by failing to verify legitimate land ownership. However, Gen. Busizoori maintained that enforcement will proceed uninterrupted unless the President issues further instructions.

Leaders across the Acholi Sub-region, elders, cultural institutions, religious leaders, and opinion leaders have endorsed the executive orders and urged the government to ensure their complete implementation.

Reading a joint resolution, Robert Mugabe emphasized that local leaders must be involved in every technical step of the verification process.

“As Acholi, we commit to the full and successful realization of all aspects of the executive orders,” Mugabe said.

President Museveni has proposed a long-term ban on the movement of free-ranging livestock and directed the Attorney General to draft legislation criminalizing practices associated with migratory herding.

While acknowledging that some herders may have fenced their land or secured water sources, Museveni insisted that all cattle be removed pending a fresh audit to verify legitimate ownership claims.