Community struggling to settle after 69 years of displacement

Kotido. Hundreds of people allegedly displaced by Karamojong cattle rustlers from their homeland in Orom Sub County in Kitgum District several decades ago are still struggling to resettle. The affected people occupy about 20,000 hectares of land covering Lolwa and Akaurumou villages, which border Abim District in Karamoja region. 

Fidele Labiya, the leader of Kalak Clan in Orom Sub County, says that the communities fled the area in 1969 just a few years after Uganda attained self-rule. He says that the community was displaced by intense cattle rustling pushing them to distant places. He says that they temporarily settled at Lujorongole Parish, where the farmland has greatly reduced to population growth.  

Labiya, however, says that their attempts to repossess the land early last year met the same problem of the Karamajong cattle rustlers. He says that they have also lost over 100 cattle between February and March alone this year in different raids and called for military deployment to ensure their safety and security. 

Qurino Olum, the Orom Sub County LC III chairperson, says the problem of the cattle rustling in the area has taken long to resolve.  Olum described the raids as persistent insecurity affecting the livelihoods of the people whom he says are struggling to recover from the Lord’s Resistance Army insurgency in the North. 

Amos Okot, the Agago North County MP-elect, says that the animal raids have not only affected Kitgum District but Lamwo, Pader and Agago as well. Henry Okello Oryem, the Internal Affairs State Minister, revealed that the issue about the cattle rustling by the suspected Karamajong warriors is before the Cabinet for redress. 

“Besides the ongoing disarmament in Karamoja, we need maximum deployment of the army into the areas affected which the Head of State will soon pronounce himself on,” Oryem explained.  Oryem further revealed that the government will open up more roads in the area in the next financial year to ease coordination in the fight against the thieves who normally come armed.