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.
Police in the Mt Moroto region have credited the significant drop in assault and homicide cases to an ongoing crackdown on illicit waragi in the Karamoja sub-region.
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.
Longole revealed that since 2021, joint security forces have intensified operations against the trade and consumption of illicit gin, believed to originate from Jinja City.
Over the last three years, authorities have impounded over 8,000 jerrycans of crude waragi, 7,500 of which have already been disposed of under court orders.
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The police report shows a marked improvement in security. Assault cases declined from 1,165 in 2023 to 1,012 in 2024, while homicide cases dropped from 104 in 2023 to 80 in 2024.
Longole noted that waragi was not only used by Karamojong warriors as an energizer during cattle raids, but it also contributed to violent domestic disputes and unexplained deaths, often mistaken for hunger but later found to be related to liver failure from excessive alcohol consumption.
Security has been boosted through checkpoints on major highways, which have helped intercept trucks transporting the illegal gin into the region. Despite the progress, Longole acknowledged that the fight is far from over.
“The community still favors this drink,” he said, adding that sensitization efforts are ongoing to raise awareness about the health and security dangers associated with it.
Some seized jerrycans remain in storage, pending court approval for disposal.
Longole explained that the delay is due to necessary verification procedures involving the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) to determine the contents’ authenticity. The crackdown is guided by the Enguli (Manufacture and Licensing) Act of 1966, which prohibits the production and consumption of unlicensed waragi. Offenders risk a fine of up to three thousand shillings, six months in prison, or both.
