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By Steven Ariong
As it’s rightly said that the facts are bitter, this website brings you facts that might pitch some of the political leaders in Karamoja and some will dispute it and some will support it.
Its always a wish by the majority of Ugandans for Karamoja also to be peaceful like any other region in the country, however that wish is not taken as good by all the people of Karamoja including some political leaders who actually use the Karamoja conflict for their political gains.
The Karamoja’s conflicts caused by cattle rustling didn’t start this year, last year or the other year but it started long time back and someone may wonder why this conflict has persisted and it has turned to be generational despite the presence of thousands of military forces both police and army in the region trying to end the conflict.
Here are the facts why cattle rustling has persisted, first of all the raiders in Karamoja are not from heaven some of them are relatives to people who are holding big offices in this government while others are relatives to elected members of parliament, District chairpersons and sub county chairpersons, but these leaders fear revealing the identity of the criminals simply because they will lose elections.
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Other raiders themselves are the elected leaders. Last year the security forces killed one of the sub county chairperson for Napumpum sub county in Kotido district, he had escorted other raiders to raid animals in Napak but they landed in an ambush by Anti Stock Unity and army in Abim district.
Others killed including the children of prominent political leaders, While other elected leaders are in prisons in connection to aiding raiders.
This publications has always been attending security operations to arrest raiders but when some raiders are arrested, the phone calls that come from elected leaders to the security personnel gives an impression that the raiders have connections with some of their leaders.
On several occasions Brig Joseph Balikudembe the 3rd division comannder has always raised that Karamoja region will be more peaceful if the political leaders condemn cattle conflicts in a practical way not by talking.
Brig Balikudembe said some of the leaders of Karamoja only condemn cattle rustling by talking but they don’t help in identifying criminals in their communities
“The cattle rustling business would have stopped long time ago if all the political leaders of Karamoja were speaking one language without putting sympathies to criminals’- he once told this publication. .
Erias Kasirabo the commandant of Anti Theft Stock Unity in Karamoja says security is playing it’s part and few elected leaders support the security, but the majority seem to be not bothered.
“If criminality is to end in Karamoja, leaders and other stake holders needs to accept and identify the wrong and hardcore criminals,” he says
According to Commissioner Kasirabo, as a force they feel so painful seeing young Karimojong boys of age 14 to 30 being killed in the bush as a result of fighting with the forces.
He said because of human rights respect, they always try all means to have some of these raiders arrested without necessarily injuring or killing them and take them to court.
While Brig. Felix Busizoori the deputy 3rd division commander gives an example of Teso region saying the Iteso also had guns but it reached a point where they said enough is enough.
“Karamoja also needs to emulate Teso region where leaders openly campaigned against those in possession of fire arms and if that methods is also done in Karamoja, the region will be peaceful”-Busizoori says.
Mark Lojore a peace activist says mindset disarmament was also needed to be incorporated into the current disarmament
Francis Kiyong the former district chairperson Amudat while speaking to this publication says some of the political leaders have had that background of being cattle rustlers adding that that spirit still in their minds despite being elected in the office.
“What I would appeal to government is to do mindset disarmament for both Karimojong youth and even the elected leaders”- Kiyonga advised.
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