Daniel Edyegu
6 April 2008
Kampala — THE army has refuted reports that soldiers were selling guns and bullets to Karimojong warriors. The 3rd Division commander, Brig. Patrick Kankiriho, said they had set up an armoury committee headed by the division operations and training officer, Col. Paul L'Okech, to ensure there was no misuse of weapons.
"We keep record of the guns in the hands of our soldiers whenever they go out for the cordon-and-search operations. Whoever loses ammunition is court-martialled," Kankiriho said last week.
The Kaabong resident district commissioner, Geoffrey Kiwanda, was quoted by the media as having stated that some soldiers sold guns to the Karimojong.
Kankiriho noted that in three incidents early this year, warriors disarmed a soldier in Kotido but the gun was recovered. He added in another incident, they attempted to disarm two soldiers but were overpowered.
The disarmament exercise, the army chief noted, had reduced cattle raids in Karamoja sub-region and the number of illegal arms.
"Previously, the warriors exchanged a gun for four cows or sh400,000 but the price has risen to 15 cows or sh2m. This implies that we have caused scarcity.
Our target is to get all the illegal guns and stop more from coming in from neihboring areas," he said.
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