Joint security forces recently handed over 121 heads of cattle to Turkana herdsmen in Moroto district as a reward for voluntarily surrendering an illegal sub-machine gun (number UF5877). The peaceful handover ceremony took place in Mogos, emphasizing the importance of resolving conflicts through dialogue.
The incident occurred on January 26, 2024, when armed Turkana herdsmen, with a grazing herd, entered Ugandan territory in Lotisan sub-county, Moroto district. In response, security forces conducted an operation to impound the livestock and ensure the surrender of illegal firearms.
During the ceremony, Col. Richard Obura Kidega, representing Maj. Gen Don William Nabasa, 3 Infantry Division Commander of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), cautioned the herdsmen against entering Ugandan territory while armed. Kidega directed them to relocate from the Mogos grazing area to Orum location, Loima Sub County, in Turkana County.
The warning emphasized the enforcement of Executive Order No.3 of May 19, 2023, ensuring that no Turkana pastoralists enter Karamoja with illegal firearms. David Koryang, the LC 5 chairperson of Moroto district, urged the Turkana pastoral community to adhere to existing protocols for peaceful coexistence, expressing concerns about continued violations of the executive order.
Koryang called on Turkana pastoralists to refrain from crossing into Karamoja until the issues are resolved amicably, emphasizing the importance of respecting security efforts in the region.
