By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
GULU:
The Kilak county MP Gilbert Oulanya has met strong rejections from fellow legislators from Acholi sub-region over his proposal to rally women to strip naked in protest for Apaa land.
Members of parliament from Acholi region congregated in a hotel in Gulu district to find an ending solution to the long disputed Apaa land that wants to be grabbed by the investors.
During the meeting, Hon Oulanya proposed that to raise people’s grievances to find lasting solutions over the land, legislators should rally women to come in large numbers and strip naked in protest as it was a case in 2015 when a group of women stripped naked to ministers who had gone to intervene in the disputes.
Oulanya’s proposal however met with strong resistance from other delegates who said the proposal abuses the reputation of women and girls who are the mothers of the nation. They asked him to first rally his sisters, daughters, wife and other women members of his family to strip naked then others shall join them.
The meeting was attended by keynote persons like the Chief Justice Alfonse Owinyi Dolo Chigamony, members of parliament from Acholi region.
The Bardeg-Layibi county Gulu District MP Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, who opposed the proposal accused Oulanya of accepting false information from some sections of the population and creating internal conflicts in stead of resolving the matters.
Meanwhile, some legislators such as the Agago North county MP Martin Okot said the proposal by MP Oulanya should not be seen at the angle of damaging the reputation of women in Acholi but as a way of symphathising with the locals in Apaa whose land is at the verge of being allienated by selfish individuals.
The disputed land located on the border between Adjumani and Amuru district is being claimed by two rival ethnic groups of Madi and Acholi and also the Uganda Wildlife Authority which says part of the land belong to East Madi Wildlife Reserve.
On March 18, 2015, locals from Adjumani district attacked their neighbours in Juka village, Apaa parish killed one person identified as Joseph Onek and burnt to ashes 104 grass thatched with the former accusing the later of claiming ownership of the 40 Square Kilometres of Apaa land.
It was later reported that the land was forcefully and secretly demarcated and handed over by government to Adjumani district in 2015. This angered residents in Apaa village forcing women in the area to strip naked before the then Lands minister Daudi Migereko and Internal Affairs minister Gen Aronda Nyakairima (RIP) protesting against the new demarcation exercise on Aril 16, 2015.
In June 2017, rifts took new twists between the Acholi and Madi communities and 10 people died in the clashes with Acholi registerin the largest number of casualties and a year later, a committee led by the then Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda was formed to handle the matter.
The committee held meetings with locals but the issues were never fully resolved.
In 2019, clashes between the two communities over the same land led to death of several people leaving scores seriously injured.
This prompted President Museveni to establish a commission of inquiry to brobe into the unresolved Apaa land in August 2021.
On Thursday 12 August, 2021, during a meeting with some leaders from Acholi sub region led by CJ Owiny Dolo, the president pledged to constitute a commission of inquiry to critically look into the matter to establish the falls as well as advising accordingly.
Museveni noted that the commission will establish whether there were human settlements on Apaa land by 1986 or if it was a conservation land as alleged by UWA.
Days later, Museveni held a similar meeting with leaders from the West Nile led by Grace Kwiyucwiny, the minister of state for Northern Uganda and Jackson Atima, the West Nile regional government whip. He pledged a lasting solution, peace and concensus into the disputes.
