The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Nabilatuk, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Gombolola Internal Security Officers and Peace Committee chairpersons in Karamoja region are no longer staying in their homes for fear of attack by cattle rustlers. The armed rustlers have turned their guns against GISOs and Peace Committee chairpersons for reporting them to Uganda People’s Defense Forces-UPDF, which is currently involved in disarmament.
John Ngorok, one of the GISOs in Nabilatuk district told URN that they are not safe. “We are not safe as government informers and to make things worse, some of us have no guns to defend ourselves,” he said. Samuel Lomerilima, the chairperson of the Peace Committee of Rengen sub-county in Kotido district told URN that the rustlers have not spared them as well.
“Remember the killing of Abraham Lomongin, the footballer who was shot dead last week while riding a blue motorcycle from Napak to Kotido. He was mistaken to be one of the GISOs because the motorcycle the deceased was riding was the same color as what GISOs are using,” he said.
John Lopus, another security informer told URN that he has escaped death twice at the hands of cattle rustlers simply because he is in touch with security personnel. Michael Longole, the Karamoja Region Police Spokesperson advised the GISOs to report any information they get regarding their safety to security officers.
“We have got that information how the few wrong elements are trying to target some of our colleagues in security but that one will not scare us from collecting all illegal guns in their hands,” he said.
Joint police and army teams have been battling armed warriors since July 17 when the army embarked on the second phase of disarmament in Karamoja. According to Longole, they have so far recovered 56 guns since July this year through peaceful and direct contact with the warriors.
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