The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Moroto, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Karamoja Women Peace Forum has teamed with the police and local leaders to fight against the trade of illicit alcohol that has claimed the lives of people in the region.
Despite a crackdown against illegal alcohol trade in Karamoja, the business has continued to thrive with traders adopting new tricks of sneaking waragi into the region. The gin is sometimes packed in sacks disguised as posho, which has frustrated police efforts to stop the gin from entering the region.
Pascal Akello, the chairperson of Karamoja Women Peace Forum says that they have picked interest to join the fight after realizing that the waragi business was not about to end despite police intervention.
Akello says that they have asked the district councilors across the region to formulate bylaws that will help in the fight against the vice. She also revealed that most officers have been implicated in illicit waragi deals and such officers should be harshly punished.
“We have for a long time waited for the waragi business to end in Karamoja but there are no signs, as women, we also want to join the fight and we shall be at grass root level’’ Akello reiterated.
She said Kaabong and Kotido districts have already formulated their bylaws and are waiting for other districts to do so.
Stephan Adupa, the female councilor for Moroto district observed that community members have turned waragi into food and many are dying as a result of taking waragi on an empty stomach.
Adupa said although they are in the process of formulating the bylaws, she fears that implementation might hit a snag because of laxity from the enforcers.
She said similar bylaws have been formulated but ended up on paper and there is a need to identify the barriers before passing new bylaws. Adupa says they shall work with the police to ensure that the business ends completely.
Peter Abrahams Lokii, the Jie county MP urged the leaders to sensitize the communities against the consumption of crude waragi. Lokii noted that police alone cannot end the illegal trade of crude waragi because they are also participating in the deal.
Michael Longole, the Mt Moroto Regional Police Spokesperson welcomed the move by the women’s forum but said they will also continue impounding the waragi despite pleas from traders who claim some of them are using the business to support their families.
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