A section of Karimojongs who denounced rustling are demanding thorough investigations into the continuous ambushes and killings of motorists along the major highways of Kotido, Moroto, Kaabong, and Abim.
Mathew Lokut a reformed warrior said they are questioning the continuous killings of innocent people including the Karimojong natives along the highways. He alleges that the act could be perpetuated by some security personnel who still want to portray the current insecurity situation as bad.
“We have made several efforts as reformed warriors to bring hundreds of our colleagues out and they have handed over their guns but still road ambushes and killings have continued who’s behind this,” Lokut said.
Lomongin Lokut another reformed warrior who now deals in local brew said most of the incidents especially killings happened just a few meters away from the army detach and in broad daylight.
“What is annoying is that every wrong incident happened either by security forces they claim its warriors, yet we have put in place our efforts to sensitize our fellow youth to stop raiding, “he said.
John Kodet another reformed warrior said some security personnel could be behind the current incidents so that they are given resources and more allowance to stay in Karamoja.
However, Michael Longole, the Karamoja regional police spokesperson dismissed the claims by the reformed warriors saying no security personnel was involved in the ambushes in Karamoja.
“These are just criminals staging road thuggery not security personnel and we shall get them,” he said.
Longole added by appealing to the reformed rustlers to help and continue convincing the remaining armed rustlers to come out and stop raiding.
For the last two weeks suspected armed men have killed three people and injured six others in Kotido district.