The Monitor (Kampala)
February 12, 2003
Posted to the web February 12, 2003
Mwanguhya Charles Mpagi
Kampala
Karimojong have rustled about 1,043 heads of cattle in Upe County, Nakapiripirit since December, the local MP Mr. Micah Lolem has said.
Mr. Lolem accused the Resident District Commissioner Mr. Peter Ken Lochap of helping the Karimojong raiders.
Mr. Lorem denied claims by the RDC that he (Lorem) helps his Pokot tribesmen rustle cattle in neighbouring villages.
"When they [Karimojong] raid our cattle the government [read RDC] does not follow them up yet for us we have recovered all the cattle raided by our people and returned them," he said in an interview at The Monitor offices in Namuwongo on Tuesday.
He said that on December 27, last year the Karimojong took 342 cows and none has been recovered. He said the Pokot too made a counter raid and made off with 200 cows from Lomori mori village in Namalu Sub County.
Mr. Lolem told The Monitor that the disarmament programme in Karamoja "...has now stalled."
"The RDC has been rearming a small section of his Karimojong tribesmen in Pian and Chakwe," he added. He alleged that Mr. Lochap gave the Pian 696 guns and none to the neighbouring communities.
He said the move has heightened tensions between the Karimojong and the Pokot, Pian, Jie and Matheniko tribes.
Mr. Lolem said about 56 people were killed in the January 6 clashes between LDUs and Pokot warriors. He said the dead included 47 LDUs and some UPDF soldiers and 17 Pokot warriors.
The MP dismissed calls by the RDC to have him (Lolem) investigated for misuse of a government vehicle and fanning tribal tensions.
He charged that the RDC should instead be withdrawn from the district.
Mr. Lochap has called for an investigation into the MP's role in the clashes.
