Henry Mukasa And Nathan Etengu
30 January 2006
Kampala — PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni is to petition the Kenya government to disarm Pokot warriors who have been destabilising Kapchorwa district.
Museveni, on the campaign trail in Sebei, said his government would liaise with that of Kenya to disarm the Pokot warriors after the Karimojong disarmament exercise has been concluded.
"We want these areas to be peaceful like other parts of Uganda. We pacified Acholi, Lango and Teso. We shall pacify Karamoja after the Karimojong had been disarmed. We shall work with the government of Kenya to disarm the Pokot and the Turkana," Museveni told the cheering crowd at Kapchorwa boma ground.
He said a number of Karimojong warriors have been court-martialed since the disarmament exercise resumed eight months ago.
Museveni said the Government planned to move the army, concentrated in the areas between Karamoja and the neighbouring districts, to the Uganda-Kenya boarder.
"The whole army in the region will move to the border," Museveni said, and cautioned the Sabiny against engaging in retaliatory raids in Kenya.
He said some Sabiny were engaging in retaliatory raids as a form of democracy.
He amused the crowd when he said some of them raided Friesian cows from Kenya but when they failed to maintain them, they just ate them.
Museveni also promised to resettle the Benet, who were evicted from Mt. Elgon National Park.
He said the Government would also open and tarmack the Chepsikunya-Bukwa road to ease transport on the Ngenge plain. He said electricity would be extended to the border.
He blamed his ministers for the delay in implementing his pledges.
"The problem is that some of these people (ministers) do not visit Uganda the way I do. They simply sit in Kampala and assume things are moving well," Museveni said.
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