By Aggrey Baba
Veteran commentator, Barnabas Taremwa Bwaniaga a has called on the President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni to issue an executive order to audit all land titles in northern Uganda, warning that many of them were fraudulently acquired and continue to fuel conflict over the Balaalo issue.
In a detailed statement penned in yesterday’s (Thursday) responding to recent debates sparked by journalist Andrew Mwenda and the President’s own directive to expel Balaalo herdsmen from the north, Bwaniaga, a brother to Gen. Salim Saleh’s wife, Joviah Saleh, argued that the problem is far deeper than illegal grazing or ethnic tensions.
He said the country is facing a serious land management crisis, particularly in the Acholi and Lango sub-regions, which can’t be solved by simply relocating the Balaalo
“Much of the land in northern Uganda is communally owned. A significant number of titles have been acquired fraudulently through a silent network of con men. Some are fake, while others are aided by dishonest local leaders who rent or sell land they don’t legally control,” Bwaniaga said.
Having previously served on the board of a company that explored acquiring land in northern Uganda for agro-industrial investment, the first family in-law said his own experience exposed deep flaws in how land is accessed and documented in the region.
He recalled how individuals (some influential) approached him with land offers, complete with documents and community endorsements. But when he insisted that the legal procedures be followed, one by one, they vanished.
He outlined the proper legal steps for acquiring land in Uganda, starting with the endorsement of neighbouring landlords and recommendations from the sub-county land committee, followed by district approvals, surveys, and proper registration, saying many land titles in the region didn’t pass through these required steps.
Bwaniaga also criticised Mwenda’s recent arguments defending the Balaalo, which he described as “misleading.” While acknowledging the veteran journalist’s reliance on legal logic, he said the analysis oversimplified the complex historical relationship between northern communities and cattle keepers from the west, particularly the Banyankore.
“The truth is that since the 1940s, Banyankore cattle keepers and workers have coexisted with northern communities in harmony. If it wasn’t a problem then, why is it a problem now?” Bwaniaga asked, warning that introducing tribal dimensions into the debate (portraying it as a clash between northerners and westerners) ignores the real culprits: fraudulent land acquisitions and unchecked greed by people seeking to exploit communal lands without following the law.
While noting that he disagrees with both the President’s executive order and Mwenda’s interpretation of events, Bwaniaga proposed a different course of action.
“Rather than issuing executive orders to expel the Balaalo (which is only a temporary fix) please consider issuing an additional executive order to recall and audit all land titles issued in northern Uganda,” adding that a thorough audit would reveal how deep the fraud runs, and would allow the government to clean up the system, protect local communities, and promote transparent development.
Bwaniaga also questioned the modern use of the term Balaalo, saying that traditionally, a Mulaalo was a poor cattle keeper grazing animals on behalf of others.
“You cannot have 300 or more head of cattle and still be classified as a Mulaalo. That is not a livelihood of need, but a business empire,” he stated, urging government and policymakers to approach the issue with historical awareness and legal clarity. He warned that failure to address the root causes of land conflict in the north will only prolong the cycle of resentment and mistrust.
Bwaniaga’s comments add to a growing chorus of voices demanding that the government take a firmer stand on illegal land dealings and find a long-term, lawful solution to the Balaalo question. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
