Stop playing with Karamoja security, army warns NGOs

Moroto, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Peoples Defence Forces-UPDF has warned development partners operating in Karamoja to stop issuing reckless statements on the security issues of Karamoja.

Capt Adrin Mawanda, the UPDF 3rd division spokesperson says the security agencies have noticed with concern the rate at which some NGOs are posting statements on social media, exaggerating the security situation in Karamoja, saying the region is not as bad as they claim.

According to Capt Mawanda, although there have been some few incidents, they should not be used for attracting  donor funding.

“Some of our development partners have run short of funds to run their activities and now they think that portraying Karamoja as insecure would attract donors to fund their activities, “he said.

He said people are going on with their normal business day and night without being attacked, apart from the few isolated incidents that the security forces have addressed.

The joint force of the army and police are currently carrying out the second phase of disarmament in Karamoja.

Since 17th of August this year when they launched the exercise, they have recovered 66 guns, 404 rounds of ammunition, plus 104 cattle rustlers arrested and already remanded to prisons.

Mariko Longoria, one of the residents however advised the security forces to admit that the situation is not good.

“Fighting NGOs will not help,” he said. “It is hard for the forces to accept but the situation is not good, so let the army double their efforts.”

Andrew Lemukol, another resident advised the forces not to work alone but to involve the community to be part of the process.

“The challenge with our forces is that they don’t deeply involve the local community to be part of the team fighting for peace,” he said.

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