The members of Parliament under the Acholi Parliamentary Group were yesterday morning involved in skirmishes with the security officers on the streets of Gulu City.
The MPs led by Gilbert Olanya were demonstrating over the detention of 17 people who are suspected of having destroyed fencing materials belonging to the immigrant cattle farmers known as the Balaalo in Palaro Sub County.

The security officers led by the Gulu City East Division DPC Esther Kisa swung into action as they curtailed the Members of Parliament from staging a demonstration over the detention of 17 people who were arrested last week for allegedly cutting, and damaging fencing materials of the Balaalo.

The members of Parliament led by the Kilak South MP Gilbert Olanya bought mattresses and marched through the streets of Gulu as they carried placards showing Balaalo must go, and Release the 17, the demonstrators also accused the security of gross human rights violations and failure to implement presidential executive order number 3 of 2023.

Gulu leaders spoke strongly against the detention of the 17 people who had been detained for over 48 hours.

However, after a sit-down protest, the Police confiscated the placards and some of the mattresses.

Eventually, the MPs and the youth who had joined in the demonstration were allowed to access the Gulu High Court premises where the suspects were expected to appear for mention.
The suspects were arrested between Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday last week and are being accused of malicious damage and criminal trespass.

Among them include female activist Betty Ocwee, Owen Chris Okoya the Owalo Sub County LC3 Chairperson, and former contender for Aswa County, Okello Patrick Onguti.

The current skirmishes between the Members of parliament and the security officers follow the expiration of the voluntary exit of all the Non-compliant immigrant cattle farmers as communicated by President Yoweri Museveni on the 3rd of November 2023.