By Mariam Namakula
A group of student leaders from Karamoja sub region have accused the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) of killing natives and theft of cattle.
The students say that only in the last one week, over 10 people have been killed including mother’s that have been burned in their houses or even beaten as early as 7am in the districts of Napak, Abim, Moroto and Kabong.
Brig Gen Felix Kulaigye, the army spokesperson dismissed the allegations noting that the force is soon finalizing with the restoration of peace in the sub region and that no one needed to temper with the process.
Speaking to journalists at the National Unity Platform (NUP) headquarters in Kamwokya, university students from across the Karamoja sub region said the killings have been ongoing for more than 10 months now and there is no government response.
“In one of the villages in Abim, apparently less than 500 meters from the Barracks someone was shot dead, what explanation would the security personnel give,” Ernest Ayen a students leader from Karamoja sub region said.
Mr Simon Peter Achia another student from the region also narrated that, “They are talking our animals, we don’t even know where they’re taking them. The army comes with the intention of keeping our animals at the Barracks but in actual senses our animals are transported somewhere else,”
Brig Gen Kulayigye said that a lot of emphasis had been put in the hotspot areas including Abim, Orom, Kitgum, Pade and Agago among others and that soon or later there would be no cattle raiders as alleged in the sub region
“Our gates are open, we have nothing to hide but if there’s anything you’re suspicious about us,let us know and we’ll arrest those found guilty of any offence,” he urged.
This is not the first time the people from the region are hurling such grave accusations towards the army.
Last year, the youth leaders of Karamoja sub-region who also subscribe NUP party accused the UPDF of raiding villages on several occasions in the name of fighting warriors.
The following few week however, the Forces released a statement indicating that they had achieved on many fronts in their operations dubbed Usalama kwa wote which started in July 2021.
They noted that between March 19 and March 29, they had killed 20 warriors, recovered four guns and 47 bullets, arrested 39 warriors and recovered 776 livestock. Also four UPDF soldiers and five civilians were killed by suspected warriors while 170 livestock were stolen.
During the presser this afternoon, Maxcencier Adupa also a students emphasized that these poor living conditions have forced a lot of vulnerable Karamojongs to engage in other vices like cattle raiding as their only means of survival Ayen thus noted that if government fails to resolve the matter in the next 14 days, the only alternative left would be to mobilize fellow students and residents of Napak, Abim, Moroto, Kabong among others to demonstrate against this army brutality
The students’ leader also urged that government stopped undermining the sub region, with especially appointing what he regarded as half baked leaders who had no idea of their potential.
The iron sheets scandal is one of the representation of the government efforts that were meant to elevate the people of Karamojo from the poor living conditions.
So far four people including three ministers were indicted for the misappropriation of these items that were meant for the vulnerable.
