Karamoja: Business paralyzed in Abim as residents protest insecurity

Abim, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Business was paralysed in Abim following a protest by residents over the security situation in the district. Residents rose up in arms on Monday morning following the death of Tony Ogolla alias Okedia, who was killed by suspected Karamojong cattle rustlers on Friday night.

Ogolla, who is a brother to the former Abim Woman MP, Florence Adongo Omwony was killed at around 9:00pm on his way home in Kiru town council. Reports in Abim indicate that the warriors also took 14 cows from the kraal of Rev. Alfred Okello on the same night.

Nelson Otim Olwit, a resident of Abim town council says that while people were angered by the death of Ogolla and the continued raids in the district, another group worsened the situation when they attempted to steal cattle from the same home on Sunday night.

This prompted the residents to take to the streets on Monday morning. They burnt tyres blocking all major roads to and from the district while carrying placards inscribed with different sentiments on the security situation in the district.

Some of the placards condemned the Uganda People’s Defense Force-UPDF manning security in Karamoja while others attacked the ruling government for failing to live up to its promise of securing Ugandans.

“We vote 99% NRM but we suffer 100% under NRM, why?”, one of the placards read. Others took tribal dimensions, “Is UPDF for Matheniko with its bias actions?”, Others attacked the army leadership, “Raiders are arrested by the community but are released by the armed forces. Who is responsible for this? the protestors asked in the messages on the placards.

Olwit says that the community is not happy with the government’s response to the security situation in the district. He called for quick government intervention in the security situation in Abim.

James Shilaku, the Abim Resident District Commissioner says that the security situation is worrying as Jie warriors reportedly occupy hills in the district. Shilaku says he has called for an emergency meeting to resolve the situation at hand.

Last week, residents of Okungur sub county in Kapelebyong district carried the body of a man killed by suspected Karimojong warriors to the district headquarters to express dissatisfaction with the security situation along the border.

Although Abim is in the Karamoja sub-region, it suffers more than other districts in Karamoja like Kotido, Moroto and Napak according to Earnest Ayen, a councillor in Abim district.

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