By Jamillah Oluka.
The indiscipline of migrant cattle keepers grazing on government land in Lakang Sub-county, Amuru district, faces a standstill due to the district’s crumbling road infrastructure. The road connecting Lakang to Amuru’s local government headquarters has deteriorated to a point where even the impounded animals from the past week cannot be evacuated.
This predicament not only halts the movement of people between Lakang and Amuru’s headquarters but also immobilizes the evacuation of the evicted animals. Amuru district’s chairman, Michael Lakony, highlighted the lack of adequate facilitation for the eviction personnel, hindering the successful execution of this exercise.
Odong Stephen Latek, the Resident District Commissioner, emphasized the directive to transport evicted animals via trucks, yet the state of the roads makes this impossible. David Ongom Mudong, the PRO Police Aswa West Region, dismissed claims of unlawful animal seizures, countering complaints from some migrant cattle keepers regarding the implementation of Presidential Orders Number Three of 2023.
Amidst these challenges, Kambaho Eliah, a 17-year-old cattle keeper from Nakasongola district, finds himself in a holding group in Amuru after his cattle ended up on the government land. Despite the November 25th deadline for the voluntary evacuation of indiscipline Balalo, not a single animal has been moved from the district.
The poor road conditions have become a significant obstacle in executing the eviction process, complicating the removal of animals and affecting the operations directed by governmental authorities. Residents and officials alike grapple with this issue, hoping for a resolution that allows for the effective enforcement of eviction directives in the region.