Spokesperson of Acholi Cultural Institution, Geoffrey Okello Okuna argued that chunks of land remain vacant in all districts in Acholi, something he says is attracting land grabbers, and increasing cases of land conflict.
Leaders at Acholi Cultural Institution have expressed concern over
the alarming rate of deforestation in the Acholi sub-region.
According to the Spokesperson of Acholi Cultural Institution, Geoffrey Okello Okuna, the
institution headed by Rwot David Onen Acana II, was on a sensitization campaign
from February 10 to 16th, and witnessed firsthand the high level of
indiscriminate tree cutting, amid low levels of reforestation.
Okuna said the cultural institution is calling upon all
residents in the sub-region to start planting trees on a large scale.
//Cue in: “Ma wan uwoto…
Cue out: …petye kapito
yen.”//
Okuna argued that
chunks of land remain vacant in all districts in Acholi, something he says is
attracting land grabbers, and increasing cases of land conflict.
He advised the
communities to start planting perennial crops, that not only keep their land occupied all year round
but provide a stable source of income.
//Cue in: “Gin acel
ma...
Cue out: …dong tere
keken.”//
Okuna advised those
without land, especially women, to endeavour to buy at least an acre of land in
places considered undeveloped and plant trees to help them take care of
orphans, plan their retirement, and care for posterity.
//Cue in: “Kadong ngom
ma…
Cue out: …bino nguki
kunu.”//
Kassimiro Ongom, the
chief of Kotongo clan, who has been at the centre of the fight against
indiscriminate tree cutting in Agago district, revealed that they are
consulting a team of lawyers to guide them on how to ensure that big shots who
facilitate the cutting of trees or are
implicated in tree cutting, do not go
scot-free.
//Cue in: “Watye ka
kube...
Cue out: …tye kabalo
yen.”//
Agago district alone
lost 229.8 acres of trees between 2001 to 2020, according to a report released
by GIZ in 2022. The report pointed out commercial charcoal production,
construction works, and farming as the main factors responsible for
deforestation in the district.
Uganda has for years
been experiencing the impacts of climate change, which include drops in water levels, and increased
frequency of extreme weather events such as drought and floods, leaving
communities, especially farmers, more vulnerable.
In 2021, Uganda was
ranked as the 9th most vulnerable in Africa and 27th least ready to adapt to
climate change impacts, by the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative
(ND-GAIN) Index.
