Perepetua Iwokot, a farmer in Loteruo village in Sidok sub county said that the animals most especially elephants are straying into the gardens bordering the game reserve searching for food have been damaging crops for the past three months.
Dr. Sharif Nalibe, the Kaabong District Health Officer, says that most health facilities are struggling to accommodate patients as their numbers exceed the ward capacity.
Meri Jino, the LC V chairperson of Kaabong district attributed the rising cases of malnutrition to the rampant cattle raids that saw the district losing over 55000 head of cattle to rustlers. Jino says this is a huge loss to families because it affects their livelihoods as children can no longer feed on milk as they used to.
According to Meri, there is a new element of commercialization of rustling, where wrongdoers connive to steal cows. He noted in the past, Karamojong used to raid for prestige, but it is currently driven by the desire for money.
The Red Cross Branch Manager for Kotido Moses Akol says they received financial assistance worth 95 million shillings from Red Cross Belgium operating in the Western Uganda to support at least 950 households in Loyoro, Lodiko and Kaabong East Sub Counties.
The valley dam is part of a bigger project comprising 8 valley dams built in different areas in the Karamoja sub-region at Shillings 46 billion (11 million Euros).
Ambassador Attilio says that Karamoja has unique challenges that the EU together with the local leaders and government seek to find solutions to in order to encourage development in the sub-region.
The UPDF says that the woman, only identified as Zam Zam, a resident of Kitome Trading Centre in Lodiko Sub County was shot dead by the warriors on suspicion that she was collaborating with security agencies revealing information about people with illegal firearms.
Brigadier Joseph Balikudembe, the 3rd Division Commander urged the women to be part of the pacification efforts. He noted that they would become more vulnerable if their husbands died in raids or forceful disarmament.
According to the hospital management, NFA has asked the district leadership to identify an alternative to swap with the one hosting the facility. The hospital management has since closed the theater, stores and old mortuary because many of the buildings are sinking.
Epitu Gadi, the Kaabong District Deputy Resident District Commissioner revealed that the people killed were either investigating the rustlers or those who have reported to the authorities about the raids of their cattle.
Kaabong Resident District Commissioner, John Rex Achilla, says the two raiders were killed in gunfire exchange with UPDF soldiers who intercepted them around Lochom hills, some 4 kilometers to Kaabong town Council.
Police have identified the deceased as Polycarp Lokeris and Lotyang John Bosco Lokurukan, both residents of Komuria in Kaabong district. Polycarp Lokeris was a graduate of engineering from Kyambogo university having completed his bachelor's course from in 2019.
Lokwang has asked the UPDF to increase their presence along the Uganda- Kenya border especially at Kamion and Timu, where there is limited military presence coupled with a scarce population in the area.
Speaking shortly after the tribunal ruling, Modo said he was satisfied with the hearing as well as the outcome and promised to support Komol as a senior NRM cadre.
Initially, the nearest secondary school for the Ik was situated about 70 kilometres away. As a result, many children from the Ik community dropped out of school without completing the secondary education cycle.
When URN reporter visited the local market in Kaabong town a can of maize was selling between 3,700 and 4,500 shillings an increase by almost 1,000 shillings. In December, maize grain was sold at 4, 000 shillings only.
According to the District Education Officer, Santina Sangar, there was only one graduate among Ik by 2016. The graduate Hillary Lokwang was the first member of the Ik community to join Parliament in the History of Uganda, after the creation of a new constituency in the area, in which he emerged unopposed, with no one to match his level of education; a Bachelors Degree in Public Administration from St. Lawrence University, Kampala.
The LCV Chairperson Kaabong, Mark Abuku says that currently, there is an on-going assessment on incomes of artisanal miners, which will determine the amount of taxes they should pay.
