Since the Minister of Local Government, Tom Butime made a pronouncement on the contested border in February, tension has remained high in the border. While Katakwi district welcomes the pronouncement, Napak district has rejected it on grounds that it was biased and politically bent.
Residents along Napak- Katakwi border are calling for dialogue to
ease the tension on the contested boundary.
Since the Minister of Local Government, Tom Butime made a pronouncement on the
contested border in February, tension has remained high in the border. While
Katakwi district welcomes the pronouncement, Napak district has rejected it on
grounds that it was biased and politically bent.
In the Minister’s pronouncement, the villages of Alekilek and Kodike were
curved into Katakwi district while Kaithelem Market fell under Napak district.
However, Napak has since contested on grounds that Alekilek hill, now curved
under Katakwi district is the heritage of Karamoja where initiation ceremonies
are conducted. They also claim that original maps were interfered with due to
political and self-centered interests.
But Katakwi, on the other hand, says that the Iteso, initially living in
Alekilek were driven away due to insecurity in Karamoja. They also claim that
the Karimojong then used the illegal guns to cause chaos that drove them from
their settlement.
Joseph Aede, a resident of Arusiakan village in Palam Sub County, Katakwi
district wants government to prioritize on dialoguing the two communities. He
observes that most people are carried by ignorance and political sentiments to
cause chaos along the border.
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While making a declaration on the contested areas, Butime said that the
conclusion was reached after a study of the 1962 Constitution and the transfer
of coordinates to a map which showed the boundaries of Napak and Katakwi.
Santina Pulkol, a resident of Alekilek village wants government handle the
border issues with maximum attention in order to avoid the impending conflict
between the two regions. She observes that the situation is already flaring as
all sides insist on Alekilek.
Ngakarimojong bite
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Joseph Lomonyang, the Napak LC5 Chairperson contends that the border question
will only be resolved when both parties put aside their self- interests. He now
recommends other entities like Uganda Wildlife Authority-UWA and Ministry of
Tourism to help Lands Ministry on the border issues between Napak and Katakwi.
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However, Walter Elakas Okiring, the Katakwi district chairperson says border
opening was prompted to settle administrative boundaries not the local
community at the border. He explained that there have been issues of
administration in the contested area that made his work difficult.
Elakas now wants development agenda to be pushed along the border to help the
community benefit from government programs. He wants the contested land to be
used for institutional development.
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Two Schools of Alekilek and Amaratoit Primary were curved into Katakwi,
something that the Napak team says was a big blunder by government.
Since the pronouncement in February, no administrative documentation has been
effected by government on the said boundary after the declaration by the
minister.
Napak and Katakwi have been struggling over the border since 1964. Several
attempts have not yielded much fruit as far as settling the border conflict is
concerned. At the moment, both Napak and Katakwi leaders are calling on their
colleagues from respective regions to help in the border issue.
Residents at the border fear that the contention might affect the
hard-earned peaceful coexistence between the two communities. The two regions
have had historical security challenges attached to cattle rustling.
