The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Moroto, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Bishop of North Karamoja Diocese has asked the government to address the persistent acts of insecurity in the Karamoja region.
Rev James Nasak says that addressing the insecurity in the area would give room to the government and other stakeholders to be able to deal with it accordingly.
According to Bishop Nasak, much as the government is removing guns from the Karimojong, a section of the Karimojong are acquiring arms which need to be investigated.
“I believe what government is doing by removing guns is just treating symptoms but there could be something hidden that government has not come to know and that’s why insecurity keeps on resurrecting every year in Karamoja and it needs government to check it seriously,” he said.
On Tuesday, a suspected rapist fled with a loaded firearm from Kangole police station in Napak district.
The suspect grabbed the gun from an officer at Kangole police station.
Bishop Nasak also requested the government to do what he called the sustained deployment of security personnel in Karamoja. He noted that on several occasions, soldiers are withdrawn from the region when the government sees that there is some peace yet according to him, there could be secret re-armament going on.
Simon Nangiro, the chairman of Karamoja Elders Association backed the Bishop’s call saying the government has not done much to find out the root cause as to why Karimojong keep on acquiring guns even after the disarmament programme.
“I support the idea of the bishop because something is going wrong somewhere and it needs to be investigated,“ he said.
However Major Peter Mugisa, the UPDF 3rd division spokesperson says that the problem in Karamoja is caused by few leaders who have been beneficiaries of the conflict in Karamoja.
“What we expect from our political and religious leaders is to work with the security personnel and reveal all the crime perpetrators but the problem they hide them,” he said.
The police in the region is currently investigating a gang that could have masterminded killings in which 20 lives have been lost over the last six weeks. The deaths were recorded in Moroto district and parts of Napak between December to February 5, 2021.
The gangsters are breaking into homes, beating people and killing others.
At the beginning of this month, there was a clash between Jie cattle rustlers from Kotido district and UPDF soldiers at Kobebe, Moroto district.
The Jie cattle rustlers of Kotido had crossed to rustle animals in the busy Kobebe grazing area. One UPDF soldier was injured in the one and half hour gun battle.
*****
URN
