To help readers understand what I mean by the people of Karamoja “making alarms day and night,” the prevailing peace, and the need to protect the gains, let me refer to Benjamin Paul Knighton’s PhD thesis.
Knighton begins:
“In January 1984, I found myself crossing the Uganda border into Karamoja. Upon arriving in Moroto, we heard that there had been shooting by soldiers in the town. The new VSO volunteers were huddled, bewildered, in a bungalow.”
He continues: “The next day, traveling north to Kotido, which was to be my home for over two years, our lorry driver stopped half-way to inspect, what the vultures and jackals had left at the side of the road: two human jaw-bones and a few empty cartridge cases” (Knighton, 1990, PhD Thesis).
This vivid description captures the danger, insecurity, and fear that once defined Karamoja. It helps explain why today’s peace is so precious and why “protecting the gains” carries deep meaning.
A 2022 synthesis of conflicts in Karamoja (1920–2022) by Elizabeth Stites also confirms that cattle raiding, violence, and insecurity have long affected men, women, and children in the region. From my own experience living in Karamoja, I witnessed how raids could occur at any hour—day or night—prompting entire villages to raise alarms to alert neighbors and security forces.
While reviewing literature on Karamoja, I came across a paper by Paul Wangoola, presented at an October 1999 workshop in Mbale titled “Cattle Rustling and Conflicts in North Eastern Uganda.” Wangoola argued that modern government systems and policies had little impact on the Karimojong people.
If Paul Wangoola were to visit Karamoja today—on November 12th, 2025—he would see how much has changed. As Michael Odhiambo Ochieng noted in 2003, the NRM government went further than any previous administration in addressing the challenges facing Karamoja. According to Frank Emmanuel Muhereza (2010) and Kennedy Agade Mkutu (2008), this commitment was demonstrated through the disarmament program, which ultimately brought peace to the subregion.
Therefore, when we speak of “protecting the gains” in Karamoja, we refer to hard-won peace, stability, and government presence under the leadership of President Tibuhaburwa Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
These gains must not be taken for granted—they are a shared responsibility for all who care about Karamoja’s future.
Ayub Mukisa, PhD
Executive Director, Karamoja Anti-Corruption Coalition (KACC)
Email: ayubmukisa@gmail.com
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