Eight herdsmen have been forcefully evicted from Alinyiri village in Madi-Okollo County, Arua District.
The District Police Commander, Bernard Lamony, says the group comprising six men and two women was evicted on Wednesday by the area local councilors.
The councillors led by their LC3 chairperson, George Dricile, ordered the herders with their 74 heads of cattle out of the village. Lamony says the group moved to Rhino Camp sub-county, where they have rented a 10-acre plot for their herds.
One of the herdsmen, Kamuzinga, reported the matter to police. He claims that he lost one million shillings and 76 heads of cattle during the forceful eviction.
Lamony says police summoned the Rigbo LC3 Chairman and his councillors to explain their actions. Despite the summons neither the chairman nor the councillors have reported to police.
The Arua district council last week resolved that the migrant herdsmen settled in the areas of Arivu, Offaka, Madi-Okollo, Ogoko, Rigbo and Rhino Camp sub-counties, must leave after the September 20th deadline expired.
But the Arua resident state attorney, Lino Anguzu, said there is no lawful basis upon which the council made its resolution. He said the council was acting illegally because the herdsmen are not grazing their animals in wetlands, forest reserves or encroaching on the communal land.
