Osia explained that he exchanged three cows with Karimojong warriors in 2014 for the firearm. According to Osia, he was compelled to acquire the firearm to protect his kraal of seventy cattle them from Karimojong cattle thieves.
Julius Osia, a resident
of Aleles village, Akoromit Sub County in Kapelebyong district has voluntarily surrendered
an illegal firearm to Maj. Gen. Joseph Arocha, member of the UPDF General Court
Martial.
Osia explained that he
exchanged three cows with Karimojong warriors in 2014 for the firearm. According
to Osia, he was compelled to acquire the firearm to protect his
kraal of seventy cattle them from Karimojong cattle thieves.
He however, says that he decided to surrender the firearm
because of the relative peace and calm following the deployment along the
border with Karamoja sub region. Maj. Gen. Arocha says he met with Osia and
explained to him the consequences of keeping illegal guns in the house,
something he says prompted the 41- year- old to surrender the gun.
Maj. Gen. Arocha noted that there are still isolated cases of
illegal firearms in the hands of local communities in the region that need to
be surrendered. Handing Osia a Certificate of Surrender of Loose
Weapon to Government, the East Kyoga Regional Police Commander, Maxwell Ogwal urged
him to encourage others to surrender illegal arms in their position to
government.
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Only eleven firearms have been surrendered voluntarily to
security across the ten districts of Teso Sub region since 2008. Majority of
the illegal arms were acquired during rebel activities in the region. Others
were acquired to protect cattle and families from cattle rustlers and their
aides.
