Hundreds Flee Homes as Karamojong Warriors Renew Attacks in Agago

An estimated 600 residents of Adilang Sub-County in Agago district have fled their homes in the past three days following daytime attacks by Karamojong warriors.

Mohamed Okwir, the LCIII chairperson of Adilang sub-county told Uganda Radio Network that the Karamojong attacked people and robbed not only animals but valuables such as clothes, phones, money and solar panels. He said that they have lost more than 20 head of cattle, 18 goats, and three sheep since Wednesday last week.

He added that on Tuesday, about 10 raiders armed with guns robbed 700,000 Shillings from a businessman who had gone to buy charcoal, took away his mobile phone, and made off with people’s belongings.

//Cue in; “Ojong dong otimme…

Cue out…pyera aryo wiye acel.”//

Okwir said that residents in two villages in Lagwa parish have fled their homes in panic. He said the warriors move in groups of four to 10 people, which is causing more fear in the locals than before. Okwir thinks the attacks by the Karamojong warriors are increasing because of the slow response of the soldiers.

//Cue in; “Lok kombedi dong…

Cue out…onongo kor tic nen.”//

Fidele Oyat, the chairman of Omuku Village, in Lagwa parish said that more than 600 people fled to his village on Wednesday.  Oyat added that when soldiers failed to respond to their call, some of the displaced people fled to other sub-counties within the district, some went to Pader district, and others went to Lango sub-region.

//Cue in; “Dano tye I area…

Cue out…yung I Lango.”//

Geoffrey Okello, one of the residents said that the Karamojong attacked his home, broke his house, and stole clothes and goats, forcing him to flee with his family of eight and four cattle. Okello said the displaced are now huddled in lockup shops and sharing houses with good Samaritans.

//Cue in; “I ganga kiyako…

Cue out…peko dong opot’o.”//

Onying Carmilla, a mother of five, said she fled from her home in Ajalotoo Village on Tuesday, to a friend’s place in Omuku village, after the Karamojong robbed her family of clothes and six sheep. She appealed to the government to sort out the insecurity caused by the Karamojong because it is affecting the normal lives of the people in the area many of whom can no longer feed their children.

Agago Resident District Commissioner Emmanuel Okot said that the increasing attacks by Karamojong in Adilang sub-county are being aided by the community’s reluctance to keep their animals in common kraals.   Okot said following a number of security meetings, a decision was taken and communicated that livestock owners keep their animals in designated kraals so that it is easy to deploy soldiers to guard them.

//Cue out: “Other challenges are…

Cue out…contain the situation.”//