The Deputy Spokesperson of the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF), Col. Deo Akiiki, has urged all nomadic pastorals known as Balaalo to comply with the provisions and rules of Executive Order No. 3 as instructed by President H.E. Yoweri K. Museveni.

He made the call as he met with the implementation committee headed by Gulu RDC when visiting two cattle farms in Palaro Sub-County in Gulu district.

Col. Akiiki said the operation was to check on compliance and evict those who had not complied with the presidential directive, adding that the ultimatum passed a long time ago and what is being done now is forceful eviction.

“We have not come here today to tell them to comply because their time is up. For those who didn’t comply, the rule is clear: cows are confiscated and given 3 days to either take them away from this area or sell them,” said Col. Akiiki.

He added that, in the worst-case scenario, an auction order would be issued to sell the cows by public auction. Akiiki also urged people to desist from environmental degradation, especially by cutting down trees for charcoal burning, which is also included in the Executive Order of the President.

In May 2023, President Museveni signed an 18-page Executive Order addressing serious issues such as cattle rustling and environmental destruction. He directed that the pastorals vacate northern Uganda, especially the Acholi sub-region, for failing to operate in an orderly manner that would prevent their animals from destroying people’s crops.