Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has declared that Kenya must compensate Uganda for the deaths of Ugandan experts and soldiers who were allegedly killed by Kenyans.
The demand stems from a March 2022 attack in which three geologists and two Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers were killed by Turkana warriors during a mineral mapping mission in Moroto District.
Speaking on October 29 during a rally at Kalas Girls Primary School grounds in Amudat District, President Museveni said the matter must not be ignored, insisting that justice and redress are required.
“The Turkana still have a debt as they must compensate the lives of the people they killed. I told President Ruto that if these criminals don’t have money, the Kenyan government must pay,” Museveni said.
He added that after elections, both governments would hold a joint ceremony in Moroto to resolve the matter.
“The Kenyan government will pay for the lives of those killed. After the elections, I will hold a ceremony with President Ruto in Moroto for the Kenyan government to pay for the lives of our people who died, and elders will cleanse the blood of those who perished. The bishops and sheikhs will also participate,” Museveni stated.
The President emphasized that Uganda would not allow the incident to be forgotten or dismissed, saying justice must be served through either financial compensation or traditional reconciliation.
The Karamoja attack occurred in March 2022, when armed assailants ambushed a Ugandan government team conducting a mineral mapping exercise in the Kubebe area of Lotisan Subcounty, Moroto District.
The team comprised geologists from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, accompanied by UPDF soldiers providing security.
Turkana warriors reportedly opened fire without warning, killing three geologists and two soldiers on the spot. The attack happened in a remote, rugged area near the Uganda–Kenya border, making it difficult for reinforcements to respond.
Reports indicated that the assailants escaped after the shooting, seizing two rifles from the slain soldiers before fleeing across the border.
The victims were on official duty, collecting geological data as part of a national mineral mapping project. Their deaths shocked the nation and highlighted the persistent insecurity in Karamoja, where armed raids and cross-border attacks have long disrupted government operations.
Following the incident, President Museveni imposed tighter cross-border controls, barring Turkana herders from grazing cattle in Uganda. The tragedy also accelerated disarmament and security operations in Karamoja to curb cross-border raids.
Museveni further issued an executive order demanding that Kenya hand over the culprits for trial or organize a formal “blood settlement” for the deceased Ugandans. He warned that the traditional practice of paying a few cows would not suffice.
“You know, Banyankole believe a little bit in the law of Moses — an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. If you kill a member of our clan, we must also pay revenge. If you don’t want revenge, you come and we have blood settlement,” he told the crowd, drawing applause.
Museveni also noted that, before the attack, Turkana herders were allowed to cross into Uganda to graze their cattle — a privilege that has since been withdrawn.
He said the government’s disarmament efforts in Karamoja have helped restore peace across the region.
“I couldn’t accept this impunity of criminality. We now have peace not only in Karamoja but also in West Nile, Northern Uganda, which borders South Sudan, the Rwenzori Mountains, and Kisoro, which borders DR Congo. There is peace everywhere,” Museveni said.
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