More than 500 families in Acamcabu village, Ayeolyec parish in Akokoro Sub County, Apac district are sleeping in the cold after the houses they were sleeping in were demolished by the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) soldiers guarding Maruzi ranch.
In 2018 the government deployed UPDF soldiers to guard Maruzi ranch covering Ibuje and Akokoro Sub Counties in Apac district after part of the 54 square km was given to Hillside Agricultural Investor for palm oil growing. Several families who were occupying the land were evicted including those at Acamcabu, a village the locals claim is adjusted to the government land.
On Tuesday, residents of Acamcabu village who are still occupying the land in question were left in the cold after the men in uniform reportedly demolished the houses they were sleeping in. Denis Ayo, a father of eight and a resident of Acamcabu says that all his three grass-thatched houses were set ablaze by the soldiers.
Ayo, who claimed to have lost all household properties in the house fire, said they are now sleeping in the cold and living a miserable life appealing for immediate intervention from the government.
Another resident Chemist Angim says life has never been easy when they were stopped from cultivating the land in question, appealing to the Apac Resident District Commissioner to voice their concerns to the government to come to their rescue.
The residents are now claiming that the 10 square kilometers part of the land be given to them as it was recently resolved by the Parliament to settle the matter amicably. Both Joseph Dako, the Officer in charge Acholi-inn Army detachment, and Apac RDC George Abdul were not available for comments by press time.
However, Canon Richard Ogwang Odyero, the Presidential Senior Mobilizer in charge Lango Sub-region pledged to forward the matter to the Office of the President for immediate redress.
“This issue reached His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his minister Hon. Betty Amongi agreed that the 10 square kilometers be refunded to locals because people are suffering. So, as a senior mobilizer, I will forward this matter to the president again for immediate redress”
URN.