The reformed warriors in the Kaabong district have asked the government to provide them tractors which were promised during the disarmament exercise.
According to the reformed warriors, President Museveni had promised them tractors for cultivation as a reward after surrendering their illegal guns and embracing peace.
They were also promised some financial support in form of loans, and a motorcycle for the chairperson of reformed warriors to ease mobilization and project monitoring.
Simon Lokori, the chairperson of the Kaabong Reformed Warriors Association said that they were tasked to form groups for reformed warriors so that the government finds it easy to support them.
Lokori said that since then, they have never had a special project directed to them as promised by the government when they were lured to hand over their guns.
Asked about other projects such as iron sheets and goats, Lokori revealed that the criteria for selecting the beneficiaries was not clear and some reformed warriors missed out.
He added that their only hope for livelihood is through crop production and the government should consider giving them free tractors for opening up their farmland.
Lokori noted that he was also promised a motorcycle for monitoring the association’s activities and the progress of the projects but all in vain.
He appealed to the government to speed up the process of procuring for them tractors so that they could catch up with the rains.
Meri Jino, the LC5 chairperson of Kaabong district appealed to the government to try everything possible to support the reformed warriors who have embraced peace.
Jino noted that the reformed warriors are seriously concerned about the pledges and leaders are left with no answers to defend their positions.
Jino observed that the government has not made it clear how the reformed warriors should be supported because many are still idle and this may push them back into dubious acts.
He said that this would be the right time to empower the reformed warriors since they have been organized into groups.
Jino suggested that the government should first give them oxen, ox ploughs, and some financial support to keep them in the productive lane.
Capt. Chris Okiria, the Kaabong Resident District Commissioner urged the reformed warriors to organize themselves into community labor to produce food as they wait for government support.
Okiria reiterated that the reformed warriors can also use part of the parish development model money to boost food production instead of staying idle.
He said that submissions about the pledged tractors were made and they are yet to receive feedback from the office of the President.
Meanwhile, Peter Abraham Irar, the Mayor of Kotido municipality observed that about five sub-counties in Kotido district did not receive the goats and one division within the municipality missed out on the iron sheets.
Irar also confirmed that no tractors had been delivered and the reformed warriors were bitter, accusing leaders of convincing them to hand over their guns for free.
He said that their efforts to mobilize the community to embrace government programs are frustrating because whenever they are in the community, the reformed warriors demand their pledges.
Irar appealed to the government to consider fulfilling the pledges so that the reformed warriors were not lured back into the wilderness.
In a related development, joint security forces handed over 195 heads of cattle that were impounded from the Jie pastoralists at Kobebe Mega Valley dam in the Moroto district.
This follows a recent incident where Turkana herdsmen raided 255 livestock in the Kalogwang grazing belt on 19 Mar 2024 and killed two young shepherds which violated Executive Order No.3 of 19th May 2023.
Col Richard Obura Kidega, 403 Brigade Commander of Uganda Peoples’ Defence UPDF who represented 3 Division Commander Maj Gen Don William Nabasa, asserted that security forces continue to conduct disarmament operations to make more recoveries and implement Executive Order No.3 to enhance sanity and relative peace in Karamoja Sub-region.
Peter Abraham Lokii, Member of Parliament for Jie County in Kotido district observed that the joint security forces acted rightly in a bid to restore confidence and trust amongst the community.
“In peacebuilding, if someone loses property, it’s better for such coordinated and expeditious action to avoid the possibility of any revenge,” Lokii said.
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