According to regional police spokesperson Mike Longole, the excessive consumption of illegally brewed alcohol, especially crude waragi, has long been a major driver of crime in the area, fueling cattle rustling, violence, and deaths related to liver complications.
Mike Longole, the Mt. Moroto Regional Police Spokesperson, said security operations are being reinforced through collaboration with sister forces, including the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
Joseph Lobot, the LC5 chairperson of the Amudat district said that the Grow project was well thought out but miscalculated when the proponents thought that all women were equal in terms of entrepreneurship skills, capability, and legalization of enterprises.
The equipment distribution is part of the “Fostering Sustainability and Resilience for Food Security in the Karamoja Sub-region” (F-SURE) project, a five-year initiative funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and jointly implemented by FAO and UNDP.
In the last year's season, the project registered some progress where over 2,800 acres of land were plowed within the districts of Nabilatuk, Nakapiripirit, and Napak while other districts missed out.
Despite calls for more additional tractors, some tractors have broken down and parked at Nabuin Research Institute waiting for repairs.
The incident occurred on Friday afternoon at a grazing ground in Kautakou Village, where pastoralists from the Bokora community in Napak and the Matheniko of Moroto were grazing their livestock together.
While other regions consume alcohol for pleasure and other reasons, in Karamoja, local brews like Ebutia in Kotido and Kwete in Moroto, Napak, and Nakapiripirit are taken as food by the local communities. Some people depend on the local brew for days without eating any solid food.
Despite interventions by both government and development partners, the parents have paid deaf ears to resort to keeping children in the kraals to look after the livestock instead of taking them to school. Children especially boys are taken to the kraals as young as six years old and spend their entire lives until their youthful stage then they return home for marriage while the warriors recruit others into cattle rustling.
In 2022, the government commenced the construction at an estimated cost of about 3.6 billion Shillings, and the works were expected to be completed in December 2024.
The land, leased through the Kailikong Communal Land Association, was offered for three years at 800 million shillings, payable in installments. The first deposit of 200 million shillings is expected in May 2025, with subsequent payments due every six months.
On Monday, Eight farmer groups with a membership of 120 each in the two sub-counties of Looro in Amudat and Tapac in Moroto received 1,010 kilograms of maize seeds, and 202 bags of fertilizers for both Urea and DAP, worth 50,935,000 shillings. The farmers are yet to receive the post-harvest storage bags and maize grinding machines for value addition, costing 55,047,000 shillings.
Dr Charlse Onyang Omudu, the district health educator said that both the confirmed case and the contact are isolated in Moroto Regional Referral Hospital.
Mike Longole, the Mt Moroto Police Spokesperson, confirmed the incident, stating that the forces successfully recovered all the 11 cows and 4 donkeys which were raided after defeating warriors in crossfire.
The project, dubbed "Enabling Gender Equality in Access to Land Resources for Climate Change Adaptation in the IGAD Region," is being implemented in Kotido Municipality, as well as Mandera County in Kenya, Djibouti and Ethiopia.
Mike Longole, the Mt Moroto regional police spokesperson described the donation as a testament to the trust and confidence that the community has in the police.
Currently, the outskirts of Moroto town such as Katanga, Acholi Inn, and Singila fall outside the municipality. The most contentious village is Singila which borders the municipality and hosts the Mt Moroto Hotel and Nabuin where the Katikekile sub-county headquarters is situated.
Rev Joshua Angella, the Archdeacon for the Nakapiripirit Archdeaconry said that the church played a pivotal role in fostering unity, reconciliation, and forgiveness which promoted the peaceful coexistence among the Pokot and Pian communities .
Brig Gen Wilberforce Sserunkuma, the UPDF 3rd Division Commander, urged the reformed Karamojong to be wise and never to accept being misled by the politicians.
