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Military and police have recovered 31 guns in an intelligence-led cordon and search operation held in the wee hours of Saturday morning in Moroto district. The forces recovered the weapons from the Turkana kraals located in Lokereyot village, Nadunget Sub-county, about 50km away from Moroto Municipality.
Mike Longole, the police spokesperson of the area, said security received intelligence that guns were being hidden and later used to raid kraals. Upon receiving information, military and police commanders dispatched a team that surrounded Lokereyot village and by Saturday morning, rifles and bullets had been recovered.
Brig Gen Joseph Balikuddembe the Usala Kwa Wote overall commander, Brig Gen Felix Busizoori Felix, Mt Moroto RPC ACP Francis Chemusto, and ASP Operation ASTU commander SP Musa Kayongo Musa are some of the commanders who exhibited the recovered guns including 752 bullets before the media.
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Longole said security also recovered 19 bows and arrows, three security uniform parts, and also recovered suspected stolen animals. During the cordon and search operation, one warrior was killed while five others and a soldier were injured.
“This success is attributed to proper adherence to the standard operating procedures in a cordon and search by men and women in uniform, timely intelligence, and cooperation from the Community members,” Longole said.
Brig Balikuddembe and other security chiefs who were present informed the community that all the recovered guns were from Turkana pastoralists who crossed the border of Kenya to Uganda to graze their animals. Security said although they have always sounded a warning to Turkana Pastoralists not to enter Uganda with guns, they have continued to defy the directive.
“We thank the gallant officers who took part in this operation for the professionalism so far they have exhibited and for making the operation successful and we shall continue conducting similar operations till peace is realised,” Longole said.
More than 700 warriors have been killed since President Yoweri Museveni directed a forceful disarmament exercise in the Karamoja sub-region. At the time of Museveni’s directive, efforts to hand over weapons were futile.