By Francis Otucu

In what appears a response to our story titled, ‘ARMED AGAIN: Army, police chiefs pitch camp in Karamoja region as K’jongs acquire fresh guns’ carried February 4, 2020, security agencies have expressed determination to counter all forms of raids and counter raids, to bring perpetrators of such acts to justice.

They also agreed to enhance security by immediately reorganizing and boosting up of ASTU manpower, use aerial capabilities like aircraft and drones to counter raiders, regulate entry and exit through the creation of border posts, faster recovery of raided animals through quicker response, troop mobility and continuous forceful disarmament in grazing areas, identification of violent warriors and perpetrators of raids for arrest and prosecution, training and retraining of personnel.

Other measures designed to maximize effect included the continuous sensitization and awareness programs across governments,  diversifying means of survival through education and commercial farming, dialogue and peace committee meetings to reduce acts of violence, regulating Turkana movements in and out of the country, opening up security roads, effective use of Interpol and the EAPPCO mechanisms in the recovery of raided animals, creation of special courts with deterrent punishments for perpetrators and the possibility of legalizing the Nabilatuk  resolution.

In furtherance of the Moroto meeting, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Sabiiti Muzeeyi  and his team embarked on a critical security assessment in the entire Karamoja sub region, where all detaches and deployments along the borderline and within our borders were thoroughly reviewed; areas for the construction of border posts to regulate entry and exit were identified, the repositioning of our forces through the creation of new detaches, additional logistical and manpower supplies to ensure better response to armed raids, better surveillance of  intelligence led processes.

“The scale of the assessment is testament of our resolve to counter all forms of cattle raids in the region,” Police spokesman, Fred Enanga said, commending the region.

“We are meanwhile grateful to all stakeholders that are playing a pivotal role in pacifying the Karamoja sub-region, and in particular the Ministry of Karamoja affairs, the Parliamentary group, CSOs, local politicians and elders. Special thanks also go to our forces of ASTU and LDUs for their bravery while countering and pursuing armed criminal elements and for the recoveries made so far.”

He revealed that, in the last two months of December and January, out of the 31 incidents reported to police, 287 stolen cows were recovered and efforts to recover 616 still in place.