Moroto, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda People Defense Forces (UPDF) has printed thousands of certificates to award Karimojong cattle rustlers who voluntarily handed over firearms to the army. Brig. Joseph Balikudembe, the UPDF 3rd Division commander told URN that the certificates would work as an identity tool to help the forces involved in the disarmament exercise to know those who handed over their guns.
“When the forces come for cordon and search operations and they see this certificate, it will make them to know the clean person in that home, “he said. He said the certificate would also enable those who voluntarily handed over firearms to get first priority when it comes to accessing the government programs geared at supporting the Karamojong.
Police and the army jointly launched the second disarmament exercise in Karamoja on Friday last week with the aim of getting rid of illegal guns that are posing a security threat in the region after ten years of peace the region attained when the government collected 50,000 guns in the previous disarmament.
Mark Lopus, a student of conflict resolution in Kenyatta University says that without much involvement of religious, political and opinion leaders, the ongoing exercise will not yield good results. “Am seeing the way the current disarmament is being conducted, there’s a lot of gaps that need to be addressed so that the entire region owns the exercise, “he said.
George Koryang, another cross border peace activist says that giving certificates alone would not help because the Karimojong may have more than one gun but he gives one and keeps the rest. “As long as the government will not accept to do psychological disarmament, Karamoja will keep on finishing resources in the name of disarmament, “he said.
Agnes Nakiru, parish councilor for Rupa sub county in Moroto district suggested that the army should use those who voluntarily handed over their guns to lure others to hand over their guns. She also appealed to the security forces to include the local musicians to rally other warriors to hand over guns.
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