The local leaders in Karamoja region have been tasked to rise up against cattle rustling by taking action approach methods.
The call was raised by Francis Akorikin LCV Chairperson Kapelebyong in an interview with this reporter.
He said Karamoja leaders should put aside the aspect of favoring raiders whom they know in their community because of votes.
“Some leaders take the advantage of some of these criminals because they have voters card and this makes them quiet” he said.
Drawing example of local solution to solve a local problem, Akorikin said leaders in Teso during the LRA insurgency left their comfort and mobilize the arrow boys who helped UPDF flash LRA out of Teso.
“Through out history we had local conflicts and it take extraordinary effort of leaders to solve these problems. while we may need the support of government, we the local leaders have the mandate to lead this struggle” he noted.
According to Akorikin, Karamoja leaders should wake up and help in identifying suspected raiders in their communities and talk to them.
“People who raid both Karamoja and neighborhood areas are people who speaker our language. leaders needs to rise up and demonstrate to show people the right path. We can not sacrifice this to amophas government” He said.
Adding that “Leaders must condemn, demonstrate honesty, identify collaborators who are perpetuating this vice with the community. identify those with guns and surrender to government”.
Akorikin also noted that in some circumstances, they are forced to follow ghost animals because leaders are not honest. “Leaders must be transparent, Somme scenarios they inflate figures, 7 animals have disappeared, they report 14 and the rest you keep looking for ghost animals” he stressed.
His counterpart John Paul Kodet LCV Napak added his voice calling up on his fellow leaders in Karamoja region to be champions in pacifying the region.
Kodet said as leaders in the region, they have tried to clean the region.
“They have all the reason to blame the leaders when things are not working. but I can tell your the issue of securing votes is not there. we are first securing the voters. we have always arrested criminals and handed over to the Security. we denounce them.
the only problem is when the criminals are releases under circumstances that we can’t understand” he stressed.
Karamoja region and it’s neighboring district continue to face insecurity from suspected cattle rustlers.
Resource factor like water and pasture quest has always been referred to as the major drive for the conflict.
