The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has okayed a proposal to evict people from Maruzi Ranch in Apac district. The land measuring approximately 64 square kilometers, in Akokoro Sub County, Apac District has been home to more than 1500 squatters since 1995.
But Apac District local government handed the Ranch to the National Animal Genetic Resource Center and Data Bank. The government also allocated part of the land to the National Agricultural Research Organization-NARO for livestock breeding and research and is making arrangements to transfer the National Livestock Research and Resource Institute (NaLIRRI) from Tororo district to Maruzi Ranch.
Three weeks ago, some 400 people were forcefully removed from the land by a team led by police and Soldiers from the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces to pave way for the projects. However, a section of leaders from Lango sub region petitioned the president to halt the eviction.
They met the President last night at State House Entebbe in a meeting which was also attended by area legislators, a team from the National Agricultural Research Organization and members of the agriculture committee of Parliament.
Dokolo South County MP Felix Okot Ogong, who led the team of area MPs in the meeting, told URN that President Museveni directed members of the agriculture committee of Parliament to visit the project area and to help determine how the affected persons can be resettled or compensated.
He explains that the team resolved that part of the ranch land, measuring up to 6-square miles be allocated to the affected people and that the government agreed to financially support the out growers scheme around the ranch.
According to Okot, the meeting resolved that the free hold title for Maruzi ranch be reverted from Uganda Livestock Industries limited to Uganda Land Commission as mandated by the Constitution of Uganda.
Akokoro Sub County Chairperson Robert Olinga Otolo welcomed the decision and encouraged local people who will be considered to benefit from the out growers scheme to remain committed.
In September 2015, Lira High Court issued an interim order blocking Apac district from evicting the affected residents.
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