Villagers in Agago, Kitgum ask for guns to counter Karamajong warriors

By Our Reporter

20^th July 2022

Residents in Kitgum and Agago districts have renewed their request to the government to equip them with guns to counter the Karamojong cattle rustlers. 

The requests follow frequent attacks in the two districts bordering Karamoja sub-region since December 2021, when the government started disarming the Karamojong.

Two months ago, hundreds of soldiers were deployed in both districts to protect the locals against cattle raids and attacks on the people by the Karamojong.

However, the locals say the soldiers don’t know the language of the Karamojong and cannot ably pursue the rustlers.

Alexander Okidi, the LCV councilor of Lira Kato Sub County in Agago district, says the soldiers currently deployed to counter the Karamojong are not doing much to chase the Karamojong citing an incident that occurred on Friday when an 18-year-old girl was injured with an arrow, about 500 meters away from the barracks and the soldiers neither responded to the locals nor made a follow-up on the ten goats that were taken away.

Emmanuel Okot, the Resident District Commissioner Agago, expressed disappointment after hearing reports that some locals had been attacked a few meters away from the barracks.