Acholi leaders have specified conditions for accepting apologies from Karamoja leaders regarding the past and ongoing armed cattle rustling and killings of locals in the Acholi Sub-region by Karimojong warriors. 

Last week, cultural and political leaders from Karamoja apologised to the Acholi people living in districts neighbouring Karamoja as well as the Jabwor community in Abim District over what they termed as atrocities committed by Karimojong cattle raiders.

During a joint security meeting with their counterparts from the Acholi Sub-region at the Kotido District headquarters, the Karimojong leaders called for reconciliation and peaceful coexistence. 

However, Mr Amos Okot, the Acholi Parliamentary Group secretary general and Agago North MP, said the apologies are invalid unless they mobilise the raiding communities and ask them to cease the vice. 

“I told them their apology could not be accepted because they were political apologies. We told them that as leaders, they should speak to the people they claim are the fighters to stop because these raiders listen to them, stop the killings, stop the raids, and then we will reconcile,” he said in an interview on Monday.

 “We have wondered what kind of apologies they were making because the same day they apologised, three different attacks occurred in my area. They have continued to attack villages where they steal goats and poultry and run up the hills,” he added. 

Mr Okot said they had tasked the Karamoja leaders to organise community meetings with communities in Acholi where the killings and raids have occurred and instead apologise to them. 
“We told them the apology can only be accepted once they go on the ground to talk to the real victims their atrocities have impacted, and they also need to listen to the bitterness of the victims; that will enable real reconciliation,” he said. 

Mr Geoffrey Okello Okuna, the Acholi Chiefdom prime minister, said: “The apology is welcome, but that alone is not enough; the elders must urgently bring their boys to order; now and then, there are raiders coming to kill our people and raid the animals, including women and children.” 

He added: “If that apology came with specific action points, including calling to order their children to stop the atrocities on our people, it would be better. If they would also intend to meet the very communities in the areas of Orom, Lapono, etc. where people are being axed, shot to death, etc., it would show their commitment to ensuring that peace, unity, and reconciliation are achieved.”

Mr David Lagen, the Agago County MP, asked the elders from Karamoja to have dialogue with other neighbours in Lango and Teso, for reconciliation purposes. 

“We accept your apology, but the goodness of your apology must be accepted by the people down there. It should be tendered to the people who have endured suffering at the hands of Karimojong rustlers,” Mr Lagen said. 

Mr Lagen also said security measures and resolutions must prioritise peacebuilding and not political views and that education should be prioritised for all to enable young people to engage in meaningful employment other than criminality.  

During last week’s meeting, Mr Paul Lotee Komol, the Kotido District chairman, said the bad blood between the two sub-regions resulted from cattle rustling, where criminal individuals from Karamoja raid animals from the Acholi people, destroy properties and crops and kill people. 
“As leaders, we take full responsibility for the wrong acts committed by individuals among us against our neighbours, and we ask for your forgiveness; please accept our apology,” Mr Lotee said. 

Ms Margaret Aleper, the Kotido District Woman MP, said: “We stand for peace. It is not easy to carry such a cross; the cross of the people you know and see causes a lot of havoc to the neighbours. I want to join that apology, and I want our people to stand up, and we apologise to our neighbours.” 

The State minister for Karamoja Affairs, Mr Peter Lokeris, who attended the meeting, urged the military, cultural, and political leaders of the two regions to commit themselves to ending crime by engaging pastoral communities, fostering unity, and developing a roadmap for reconciliation and harmonious coexistence, building trust, and sustaining peace. 

“We must live and work in brotherhood; that means we must face and fight criminality squarely to promote peace in the districts of North Karamoja and neighbouring Acholi Sub-regions,” Mr Lokeris said. 

While commending the Karimojong and Acholi communities for their commitment to end cattle rustling, Mr Lokeris blamed local leaders in Karamoja for not doing enough to combat the vice. 

“If you are a raider, we must handle you badly; if a raider comes with animals, it should not be welcomed among the people,” he said, adding, “If they come, they must find a team that is annoyed and ready to confront them.” 

Other officials at the meeting are UPDF 3rd Infantry Division Commander Maj Gen Don William Nabasa, and UPDF 5th Infantry Division Commander Brig Keith Katungi.

In a statement issued after the meeting, Mr Isaac Oware, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) 3rd Division public information officer, said besides the apology, “the meeting acknowledged the need for follow-up funding to renovate dams for livestock watering and commercial agriculture”.

“Additionally, the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development will be contacted to survey, demarcate, and clear contested district boundaries,” he said.

Background
Persistent cattle rustling by armed Karimojong raiders has remained a critical social and economic burden in the districts of Lamwo, Kitgum, and Agago. 

In May 2023, President Museveni, in Executive Order Number 3, authorised the recruitment of Local Defence Units (LDUs) to protect vulnerable communities in districts neighbouring Karamoja and to guard kraals in the sub-region.

While the order quickly brought relief to communities in the affected areas of Lango and Acholi, the situation today seems to be far from better. 

This publication established that dozens of people have since been killed while thousands of livestock were raided from Acholi Sub-region alone. 

According to the UPDF, raids have persisted in the sub-region since raiders collaborate with members of the communities to get information on roadblock locations, ambushes, and locations of community kraals, including families with enough food to be raided.  

According to the army, mobile phones recovered from raiders and collaborators point to senior security personnel and powerful businessmen dealing in the cattle trade between north and central Uganda.