Failure by government to curtail the resurgent cattle raids in Karamoja region has resulted into what experts say is one of the worst humanitarian crises in Uganda’s modern day history.
Hundreds of thousands of locals have been internally displaced, in a desperate move to escape terror, horror and violence as a result of the would be attacks by Karimojong warriors.
Embatted locals are running for their dear lives, to escape ferocious battles that are raging between UPDF soldiers and warriors, as a result of the desperately launched disarmament exercise.
In cordination with leaders at local levels, soldiers have laid several ambushes on different strategic points in the region to neutralize the rustlers.
Despite being able to recover stolen cattle and arrest some of the warriors, the vice has nevertheless persisted.
Normalcy has been completely distorted, schools have been forced to completely close operations due to increased insecurity created by the current state of affairs.
The situation at the border of Teso- Karamoja has not been normal for the last two months, from the time the Karimojong cattle rustlers started invading into Teso sub-region.
In the districts of Katakwi and Kapelebyong which are the most affected, the situations has worsened, with many residents now pushed to camps, while others have fled to neighbouring districts of soroti, kumi and Amuria.
Mr. Francis Okirokin, who happens to be Kapelebyong district chairperson confirmed to this Website that people no longer sleep in their houses, and have resorted to camps, where living conditions are appaling.
Access to facilities like clean drinking water, clean toilets, regular meals and descent accomodation is a mystery in these camps, according to Okirokin.
“The situation in Ongongoja after yesterday’s exchange between soldiers and warriors is tense. These people had to shelter in sub-county headquarters, schools and hope Chest Children’s Centre,” said Okirokin.
“Friends this is the least I expected in this situation, as we talk none of these children you see is able to get to class, from 5:00 am i have been following Usuk ongongoja road, only people running with animals, yet this is the time to be in gardens,” he added.
“Locals can no longer access essential services like, school, health and other social services, and all this is attributed to continued attacks by the warriors,” says Emma Sele, a disgruntled resident of Acowa Sub-county, Kapelebyong district.
His assertions echo a confirmation that people have been deprived of their right to education, descent accommodation and cannot carry on with day to day activities, amisdst violence that is the common song of the day.
Many children are missing, as people had to scatter in different directions as fierce battles ragged on.
In what is seen as a paradox, some residents of Abim district were yesterday arrested by police as they tried to peacefully demonstrate against the deteriorating security situation. Some of them are yet to be released.
Home to more than one million people, the Karamoja region in North-Eastern Uganda, is comprised of eight main population groups, a majority of which share a language and pastoralist culture.
They are the poorest and least developed in Uganda.
Adding salt to wound, rainfall is irregular, and a significant proportion of the population is typically food-insecure all the time.
The region has experienced relative peace for more than a decade, following a successful disarmament exercise that started in 2006, by the UPDF in conjuction with local leaders.
However towards the end of 2019, insecurity and lawlessness made its way back into the region.
The situation became more desperate towards the end of 2021, when a section of the LDU deserters in the region walked away with arms and ammunition, enabling them to ressurrect their terror in full swing.
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