Over 4000 Karamojong warriors arrested during Usalama Kwa Yote operations have been convicted of various offenses ranging from illegal possession of firearms to murder, and cattle rustling.
Leaders in the Karamoja sub-region have demanded
amnesty for the convicted warriors serving their sentences in different prisons
across the country.
Over 4000 Karamojong warriors arrested during Usalama Kwa
Yote operations have been convicted of various offenses ranging from illegal
possession of firearms to murder, and cattle rustling. The majority of the
convicts are between 15 and 30 years old.
Now the leaders have appealed to the President to release
the convicts stating that the warriors have reformed and should be given a
chance to reunite with their families
Paul Lokol, the LCV Chairperson of Nabilatuk district noted
that several youths were arrested out of anger by soldiers during the general
cordon and search operations.
Lokol said that some of the youth were arrested innocently
and there is a need for proper screening of the convicts before releasing them.
He said that those who were hardcore criminals should be
left to complete their term of sentence while the innocent ones should be
forgiven.
Lokol also wondered how the court martial was able to
sentence over 3000 warriors in only three months. He said that there is a need
to revise the cases of those who shall be considered to complete their
sentence.
Lokol noted that the arrests were purposely for reforming
those who have been destabilizing peace in the community and not to destroy
someone’s future.
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Lotem Peter, the LCIII Chairperson of Nadunget sub-county in Moroto
district said that the President should consider
forgiving even when they went wrong.
Lotem noted that the youth who are in jail are very
productive in the community and keeping them in the prisons will fix their
families in the extreme poverty. He believes that the period the youth have
spent in jail is enough to transform them into good citizens who can now listen
and bring positive change in society.
Lotem also noted that the number is too big to be kept in
the prisons yet those youth would be able to rally for the president's votes
during campaigns.
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Joseph Lobot, the LCV Chairperson of Amudat district
observed that the insecurity in the region resulted from many actors and factors
such as prolonged drought, food insecurity, and covid 19 outbreak that affected
the household income.
Lobot explained that several push factors drove the warriors
into cattle rustling and it is worthy to pardon them and make them messengers
of peace. He said that the Karachunas can now come back out of prison and form
groups of persons to educate other colleagues about prison life.
Lobot noted that the warriors would settle peacefully if
released because there is enough food in the community and they would help to
cultivate more in the next cultivating season.
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However, President Museveni, while addressing the people of
Karamoja during the assessment of Parish Development Model performances, said that the
decision to pardon the convicts requires the army council to sit and discuss the matter.
Museveni noted that the warriors caused extensive havoc to
the community and government, which cost them a lot of resources to normalize
the situation.
He said that the forces spent a lot of effort pursuing the
warriors and releasing them so easily would undermine their labor.
Museveni said that dubious acts that the warriors were
carrying out were serious and could destroy the country since they used
firearms. He noted that the warriors killed, raped, and caused pain to many
people.
He reiterated that he could not sit to watch the civilians
play around with firearms which threatens the state of the country.
