Two Karamojong Warriors Handover Firearms During Peace Walk

Authorities in Moroto district have recovered two guns from the warriors. The warriors handed over the guns during a Peace walk on Saturday aimed at spreading the message of harmony.

A section of leaders in Karamoja organized a peace walk caravan from Moroto to Kotido via Napak which runs May 21-30th, 2022. The walk was flagged off by the deputy resident commissioner for Moroto, Justin Tuko.

John Robert Adupa, the LC3 chairperson Lotisan sub county in Moroto district said that the peace march will cover around 196 kms with the objective to appeal to cattle rustlers who are still in the jungle to accept peace and return the guns to the government.

While addressing the peace march, Adupa on Saturday said their main target in the walk is to engage and talk to the youth who are actively involved in cattle rustling.

He said the walk also creates opportunities for the different communities in Karamoja to meet and make friendship the will cement discrimination and division among themselves and embrace peace.

//Cue in: these karachunas if they come together’’

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During the speeches at the launch of dialogue, two reformed warriors admitted owning guns and accepted to hand them back to the government voluntarily.

Justin Tuko, the deputy RDC who received the guns said they have been spreading the gospel of peace to the community and many of them have hailed it.

Tuko noted that peace dialogues have worked well in the recovery of illegal guns because the community is engaged and given the opportunity to convince the perpetrators to accept peace. He reiterated that only those who hand over guns voluntarily will benefit from government programs which will be enrolled after the disarmament exercise.

//Cue in ‘’ we have been preaching about disarmament

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Stella Atyang, the woman MP Moroto district revealed that peace walks are the only available solutions to bring peace back to Karamoja. Atyang says she is confident that the crisis can only be solved by peaceful dialogues among the conflict communities in the region.

‘’We are very happy for the gradual returning of peace; what we need now is to see the real effect of the peace walk on the ground so that we can welcome development,’’ says Atyang.

She noted that cattle raids have poisoned relationships amongst Karamoja communities but these dialogues will lead to better outcomes for all.

However, the peace dialogue initiative has met resistance from the security forces who think it’s a waste of time to conduct such gatherings.

Brig. Joseph Balikudembe, the UPDF 3rd division commander says the insecurity in  Karamoja is beyond community dialogues because they can no longer work.

Balikudembe added that as security forces, they shall be conducting energized cordon and search operations to curb the illegal guns since the chances given for dialogues have not worked.

//Cue in ‘’we are wondering how many times

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A series of community dialogues aimed at fostering peace and reconciliation amongst communities have been conducted; the initiative leaders say it has contributed to the reduction of raids in the region.