Gloom and grief gripped residents of Nakaromwae village in Lomuno parish, Napak District on Sunday following an evening attack from armed Matheniko warriors who left four people dead, houses burnt, and property destroyed.
The attack on the village is one of the frequent attacks orchestrated by groups from former rustler communities who once believed that raiding and looting cattle was the only way to acquire wealth.
The latest victims were four innocent young boys who were in a kraal at the time of the raid. Leaders attribute raids to former warriors who are now desperate after government convinced them to handover guns, and did not provide an alternative to what was ther way of life.
Hillary Lokwang, MP Iki County says the attacks are orchestrated by desperate redundant communities who were disarmed by UPDF, and not provided with an alternative. He said in October his home was attacked three times but repulsed by a security guard.
“It is very serious. You cannot move at night or late in the evening in Karamoja because you will be attacked” He said
He said with porous borders, criminality is returning to Karamoja with the Gie, Dodoth, Matheniko allying with Turkan communities in Kenya who supply guns used to wreck havoc in the region.
Lokwang said the UPDF deployment in the area is not adequate to stop the raiders. The detaches in the area are manned by one updf soldier assisted by two LDUs, yet the raiders attack in large groups well armed with guns, bows and arrows.
“They are resuming what they used to do before the disarmament program. We appeal to government to come up with a special program for Karamoja, not only disarming”
He also said 3 UPDF officers and an old woman were recently killed in Moroto. The legislator says the disarmament program did not provide a lasting solution but left many frustrated individuals who now going back to their old ways.
