Museveni kicks off wealth creation tours

President Museveni yesterday asked the people of Acholi Sub-region to embrace the four-acre model of farming to create wealth.  

This four-acre model is said to accommodate several farming enterprises that easily translate into wealth creation.   

Mr Museveni, who is preaching wealth creation and shared prosperity,  asked Acholi leaders to save him from the chaos and drama in Apaa land since he was in the sub-region on a different agenda.

Mr Museveni was addressing religious, cultural and political leaders across the Acholi Sub-region, who gathered at the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Fourth Infantry Division in Kasubi Village, Gulu City. 

President Museveni’s remarks came as a response to the opening statement by Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Nobert Mao, who briefed the President that the leaders from Acholi were prepared to listen to him and also place before him their issues and grievances.

Among the grievances, Mr Mao said, included the recent Cabinet position to evict locals from the disputed Apaa land, which he said had caused worries and tension not only among the leaders but also among the Acholi populace.

“There have been many issues and the members of Acholi Parliamentary Group (APG) have a short presentation to make. The issues range from Apaa land, where you promised to form a judicial commission to investigate and come up with a solution, including the fate of our people in detention in Adjumani [District],” Mr Mao said.

President Museveni responded: “Today I don’t want to be diverted by other issues because Apaa is one area. There is no Apaa here, there is no Apaa in Paicho and Omoro. So, if there is a problem in one area, let the areas without problems continue with progress.”

“You cannot say because there is a problem in Apaa, all the Acholi must stop. That is poor leadership, those are liars (leaders). I am not impressed with the noise and hullaballoo on Apaa because I have been on this war for 60 years. This time I don’t want to be diverted. Any other politics that sabotages my path, don’t bring me into that politics ,” President Museveni added.

Protests 

Residents in the disputed Apaa land on Wednesday offloaded and dropped three empty coffins inside the compound of the Acholi Paramount Chief David Onen Acana II to protest the looming proposal by government to forcefully evict them.

The protestors also petitioned Rwot Acana over the decision and challenged him to influence and cause President Museveni to rescind his decision.

“We want the government to reverse the eviction decision and we petitioned Rwot Acana because he is the only highest cultural authority in this place that President Museveni can listen to,” Mr Charles Okot, one of the petitioners, said.

“Through him, we are hopeful to have a say from the President because the orders made by the Prime Minister, Ms Robinah Nabbanja, last week were one-sided. They did not listen to our concerns,” Mr Okoto added.

The locals, over 30 of them, said they were not ready to agree or accept the offer by the government in compensation before they are evicted since the monetary value was too small.

“Many of us have lived in Apaa for more than 40 years and buried our grandparents there. We have woodlots and permanent homes established there long ago and now valued over Shs150m. So, to say you are giving me Shs10m, 20 pieces of iron sheets and 10 bags of cement, is a joke,” Ms Santa Amono, one of the concerned residents said.

This publication has also established that the locals chose to storm Rwot Acana’s residence on grounds that it would make them immune to repulsion by police and the army, who by Wednesday evening, had heavily deployed around the city.

Police, however, have said they were yet to find out how the residents access the tightly-guarded compound of Rwot Acana with the coffins.

“We are not aware of how they got there with the coffins. The matter has not been formally brought to our attention but once the matter is brought to the police, we will investigate it accordingly,” Mr David Ongom Mudong, the Aswa River Region police spokesman, said yesterday. 

Chiefdom speaks out

The protestors arrived at the compound when Rwot Acana, Archbishop John Baptist Odama and Sheik Musa Khalil were locked up in a meeting to prepare a position paper to be presented to the President yesterday when he was scheduled to meet with Acholi political, religious and cultural leaders.

By yesterday afternoon, the protesters were still camped inside the palace, pending feedback from the President to be relayed by Rwot Acana later in the evening.

The chiefdom also blamed Ms Nabbanja for causing the  chaos.

“The problem was created by [Ms] Nabanja. The President had gone very far in dealing with the problem but she took her responsibility with too much energy without looking at certain dynamics that would make a bad situation worse,” Mr Ambrose Olaa, the chiefdom prime minster, said. 

On February 15, Ms Nabanja, in the company of her junior, the Third Deputy Premier, Ms Lukia Nakadama, Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Norbert Mao and Security Minister Jim Muwhezi, among others, met leaders in both Adjumani and Amuru districts.

During separate meetings, Ms Nabbanja read a Cabinet decision to the leaders, which stated that locals occupying the contested Apaa land must exit the area within three months. They also said Apaa Central Market must be closed within one month.