Former Aruu County member of parliament Hon Odonga Otto has urged the people of Acholi not to vote for president Museveni if the Balaalo don't leave Acholi land. According to Odonga, there will be no vote for him in the upcoming elections in 2026.
The outspoken legislator threatened to mobilize the people of Acholi to join the National Unity Platform if president Museveni failed to evict Balaalo back to Western Uganda.
"If Balalo do not leave Acholi, President Museveni will not get votes and we are just waiting, "You keep mixing your words there you are just helping us. "We are going to descend into action mobilize people and probably even join Bobi Wine so that the North can catch fire immediately. So those of you who are in NRM, if you want to fail your president. You leave this word of Balaalo so for now we have still ceased fire.
Otto vowed and said his politics alone can solve the problem of his people and their problem is that they have been invaded by the Balaalo.
"We are very happy that the government is listening and calling for high consultative meetings because if my politics can solve the problem of my people that's the purpose of politics. So the problem is that we have been invaded by these people. We are not invading their area but they are invading our areas so that is why the president seems to be listening and the president has decided that if the Balalo do not leave he will lose votes and he will lose. So those things of your fence, construction of fence and rising the wires will not work we just want them to leave.
He further asked Minister Kenneth Omona to deliver the sensitive message to president Museveni failure to do so, the president will not get votes from the Acholi sub-region.
However in response to Odonga Otto, State Minster for Northern Uganda Dr Kenneth gave Balaalo herders a two-week ultimatum to leave Northern Uganda or face forceful eviction.
Odonga made the remark during a meeting which was attended by the government top security agencies, and State Minister for Northern Uganda at the Office of Prime Minister's regional office in Gulu City.
The eviction exercise began in 2023 but was halted in early 2024 following an outbreak of food and mouth diseases across the four regions.
According to the executive order No.3 of 2023, issued on May 19, 2023 by the head of the state, all migrant livestock keepers should leave the Acholi, Lango, West Nile and Teso Sub-regions due to indiscipline.
The president also highlighted that the Balaalo's cattle were destroying food crops belonging to indigenous communities.
