Amuru Land Grab – Apaa Village Evictions: A long process of failure from the state!

That the Northern Uganda have been in deep end of the stick in many eyes is evident, by how lax the state has been to take care of their needs and their rights. That can now be proven by the forceful evictions from land in Apaa Village in Amuru District/Adjumani District. Where the previously have been attempts to make a giant farm for an investor called Bruce Martin and also become sugar cane plantations and factory for Kakira Sugar Factory owned by the Madhvani Group, this goes all the way back to 2006. Therefore, the plans to evict these people has been slow process from the state.

Now in 2018, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) have evicted dozens upon dozens of the local residents from their lands. As the purge on the village and the area continues, this has been in the making, but the ones losing their lands get nothing, but lose their homes and their livelihoods at the same time. The government authorities have torched the houses and left nothing behind, as they are continuing to evict people. Their lives are no meaningless, as they have to flee their land and are living on the United Nations Compound in Gulu, while awaiting their future, as the state, UWA and the Uganda People’s Defence Force have been evicting them over the last two months. Surely, the hurt is felt and real.

Who can wonder if the state is finalizing the agreement with Madhvani Group to deliver his second sugar factory and also sugar plantation in the area or they are making a game drive from Bruce Martin. However, this is still grabbing the land without any forewarning and also taking their livelihoods without any compensation for the hurt.

The District Land Board and Area Land Board cannot been informed or care to inform the people, as the army and UWA have been busy evicting people with force. They are just pawns on the chess-set, and the authorities in Kampala let it happen. The leadership from afar are accepting it and have gazetted the land and taken the land. Therefore, the people who has settled in Apaa have to flee or be evicted from the land, without any justice or law helping them out. No compensation and nothing left for them.

This sort of play has to stop; I am sure the State House is fully aware and let it happen, as they are getting their cut of the transaction of the land for whatever purposes it has. Its been planned for years, but doesn’t make it better, when they could have had solutions back-in-the-day as the government knew this would come. They were already in talks with both Kakira and with Martin. They knew perfectly well, what was up. There is even a third scenario where the land is sold to someone else named Linton Brimblecombe.

Clearly someone forgot the memo and left it stranded. They just evicting people in the favour of one lucky bastard who capture all lands, without paying the needed ones who was actually living their and done so for generations. This is a violation of the trust between the citizens and the government. Because someone accepted the trade of the land people where living on and had rights too.

The Apaa village and Apaa community deserves better, all of the Acholi deserves better. They are being misused and taken for granted by the government. They are just pawns on the chess-set. No value, the first one in the battle-line to take out so the ones of value can be put into play. That is how it looks from the outside.

This have been planned for decades and now it happens.

Amuru Land Grab: What is ours, is OURS; What is their’s, is OURS; and Whatever is your’s, is still OURS. Peace.

EFF Marks Mandela Day (18.07.2018)

EFF statement on unacceptable glitches in Payment of Social Grants (05.07.2018)

Kakira Sugar Limited addressing farmers strike (02.07.2018)

EFF statement on the 63rd Anniversary of the Freedom Charter (26.06.2018)

Opinion: People should never underestimate Malema!

This shouldn’t be news, but there was many doubters to the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the party itself created by the former African National Congress Youth Leader Julius Malema. The one with the biggest fallout and also helped the rise of former Jacob Zuma. This man shouldn’t be underestimated. Because who else can speak of economic inequality and still be known for wearing Louis Vuitton from head to toe.

Its been know how Malema uses words and garn people’s attention, how he has build grassroot organizations and also been active in politics since forever. He was a key supporter and helper of Zuma, even made sure the Unions was on Zuma’s side at some point. However, that love was lost. Malema was suspended and never could return to the party.

That didn’t stop Malema who has become a bigger figure and one of the top leaders in the South African politics. Him and Mmusi Maimane is the future of politics, both on different branches, but still they have their place.

Malema will speak of the state organized and get state controlled over the mineral resource, nationalizations, the saving of the land and take back what was taken by the colonizers and apartheid. Malema will really fight for those causes, in a tone that is in stark contrast to plenty. Some will be afraid, but others should look to it as an aspect of needed voices in the midst of poverty. There aren’t everyone who will stand-up for the left behind in the townships, but Malema will.

Even if Malema himself is the political elite and wealthier than most. Still, his message differ from that, the way he speaks economics and policies in general. It is based on the matter of liberation and freedom of the masses, while getting more state control and less of the ones who is looting the riches of the Republic. That is where Malema is, not that everyone can accept that. But the need for the narrative is there, as he has gained his following and been able to build a viable party.

They might look like red colorful brigade in the Parliament, the National Assembly wouldn’t be the same without the people Malema has around him. The EFF Party has shown what they are capable of and the leadership of Malema makes sense. He proven that in ANC and ANCYL especially. Therefore, the ones surprised that EFF turned 5 years. Has forgotten his methods and his ways as leader there.

They wouldn’t think he would build a foundation and loyalty, also continue to work on the base of supporters and spread his message? That is what Malema has done. Even if you don’t agree with him. You got to be impressed. It takes time to build a party and he has achieved a lot since being kicked out of ANC. No one can deny him that.

Therefore, never ever, ever, ever think of underestimating Malema. He is not for the short-con, he is for the long-con, if not he is for the cause and the principals. He might sound like big buffoon doing so, but don’t misjudge him. That he will use to undress you and your stances. Malema is coming, all of us don’t know how, but he will come.

Either with blazing guns, with revolutionary tales, if not a Louis Vuitton belt and suit shining like a Prince. Who knows, but don’t let his appearance fool you, he something up his sleeve. Peace.

RSA: EFF Statement on 105 Years of the Native Land Act of 1913 (19.06.2018)

RSA: EFF Welcomes the Rejection of Morocco to host the FIFA Soccer Wold Cup (12.06.2018)

RSA: Correspondance between EFF’s Floyd Shivambu and ANC’s Carrim (06.06.2018)

RSA: Lechesa Tsenoli MP letter to Mmusi Maimane MP – “Request for Debate on Urgent Matter of National Public Importance” (23.05.2018)