In western Uganda, the discovery of oil transformed Buliisa District from a quiet pastoral landscape into a high-stakes economic frontier. But for the pastoralists known as the “Balaalo,” who once grazed their cattle there, this transformation brought displacement instead of opportunity. Forced off their land in a 2010 military operation, hundreds of families lost their homes, livestock, and sense of belonging, becoming outsiders in a region now defined by booming oil development.
As Uganda edges closer to oil production, the scars of that eviction remain in the pastoralists’ minds. Despite winning a court case and a government directive for compensation, payments have yet to materialize, even as the pastoralists move from office to office in search of justice.
This project investigates the origins of the eviction, why compensation has not been paid for the land they lost, and how land disputes continue to shape the region, including contested areas where oil rigs are now situated.
Photo by Musinguzi Blanshe
