Kampala — THE GOVERNMENT has disarmed 80% of the warriors in Karamoja sub-region, a senior security official has said.

Olandason Wanyama reports that speaking at the closure of a two-day National Agriculture Advisory Services (NAADS) review workshop recently, the regional internal security officer, Emmy Twagira, said the region was now more peaceful.

"Compared to what people used to read and hear about Karamoja, the situation is not bad today," he said, adding that the UPDF had rolled up to the level of the sub-county and the communities now felt its presence.

Last month, humanitarian agencies warned their nationals about impending insecurity in the sub-region, when warriors ambushed Gateway company buses, killing two people.

Twagira said there were only a few guns left within the 1.2 million population, which is not a very big threat to the Government.

"Remember Uganda is now a member of the UN Security Council," Twagira said adding that the country did not go there by chance but through the work exhibited.

He told district leaders and NAAds coordinators that the Government was determined to work with the people.

"Do not look at us as enemies but as allies who want Karamoja to develop at all cost," he said.