Joseph Abura, the Bishop of the Anglican Karamoja Diocese attributes the high rates of domestic violence and crimes to overdrinking. He says that many parents have abandoned their families and resorted to drinking.
Paul Logiel, a priest at Nadunget catholic church in the Moroto district told URN they have always tried their best to spread the message of peace to the community but unfortunately, it doesn’t reach the warriors who are still in the jungle.
A number of youth on Monday turned up at Moroto Boma grounds where the recruitment exercise is ongoing but many were eliminated over lack of academic documents, while others failed to meet the required age bracket.
Justin Tuko, the Moroto Deputy Resident District Commissioner-RDC, said they have already issued an order to security forces to shoot and kill those suspected of owning illegal firearms but they have given them the last chance to voluntarily hand over the firearms.
Among the injured is Col. Godfrey Kayondo, the commanding officer of the 409 Battalion. Maj Isaac Oware, the UPDF 3rd division spokesperson, says that six soldiers sustained severe injuries while five escaped with minor injuries.
‘’Our attention has been drawn to an article running in different media alleging that there was a silent genocide in Karamoja. The article is totally not true and the public should not rely on these falsehoods,’’ Oware said.
Justin Tuko, the Moroto Deputy Resident District Commissioner, says that they have so far arrested six suspects whose names appeared on the list and they confirmed owning guns. Tuko said one of the suspects was arrested by the community in Loputuk sub-county when he was named in the security meetings.
Hajji Mohamed Akida Lokure, the district khadi Karamoja Muslim council says that the holy month of Ramadhan is meant to make the Muslims unite, embrace peace and above all reform from bad deeds.
George William Wopuwa, the Moroto Resident District Commissioner (RDC), says that they resolved to expose those with illegal firearms so that the communities pressurise them to surrender them.
Moroto Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Justin Tuko announced the decision on Thursday, saying the curfew will run between 8 pm and 5 am mostly in camp Swahili, Kambizi and Camp Swahili juu where cases of burglary are on the rise.
According to Puwan, when his number failed to go through, he decided to surrender the keys to his chicken house to save his life. The warriors made off with 20 chickens. ‘’I just said it's better I lose chicken than my life because they gave me two options to either hand them the keys or they burn me inside the house, I couldn’t die because of chicken,’’ he said.
Michael Longole, the Mt. Moroto region police spokesperson, says that the incident happened around 9:00 pm on Sunday after the joint security team comprising the police and UPDF officers on night patrol within Acholi inn found the warrior trying to sneak into a bar with an SMG rifle and five rounds of ammunition.
Major Isaac Oware, the UPDF 3rd infantry division spokesperson said that they are continuing to receive more troops throughout this week amounting to a battalion that comprises 740 soldiers.
Isaac Oware, the UPDF 3rd division spokesperson confirmed to URN that the police in Kenya helped them to recover the weapons that were abandoned by the Turkana warriors. Oware added that they are collaborating with Kenyan police to hunt for the attackers and to have them brought to book.
Maj Isaac Oware, the UPDF 3rd division spokesperson, says that they picked up the suspects on March 30, 2022, during their operation around the border areas. He says that the suspects are in custody at the UPDF 3rd division headquarters in Moroto pending further investigations.
According to Masese, he lost merchandise worth Shillings 100,00 to burglary within a period of three weeks when he joined the market. ‘’We are very irritated and sad over the losses we are facing because of these constant thefts of our goods. We are mugged almost every night and no one cares,’’ Masese said.
Mohammed noted that the several killings within the municipality are connected to the animals that loiter on the streets and attract the rustlers to come for them. He explains that the warriors don’t spare anyone they come in contact with during their raids.
The soldiers were shocked to find Achucu, a resident of Mogoth village in Lotisan sub-county, involved with another cattle raid. He was arrested alongside Lomuria Ariko, the chairperson of the peace committee in Rupa sub-county for allegedly raiding five cattle from Kotido district.
