On Friday (July 21), dozens of residents of Moroto Municipality in Uganda's northeastern district of Moroto gathered at the Central Police Station to witness the destruction of illicit alcohol valued at sh27m.

A total of 90 25-litre jerricans of alcohol were destroyed on the day.

For weeks, the alcohol — transported on motorcycles and in private cars — was impounded by the Police at various checkpoints in Moroto.

Police said some government cars were also found ferrying the illicit gin along the Moroto-Soroti Road.

“We have been collecting this illicit gin for over three months,” said Karamoja Police public relations officer, Mike Longole.

The Police then sought a court order allowing them to destroy the impounded alcohol.

Longole said the intensified fight against the illicit alcohol is paying off, based partly on a reduction in reported hunger deaths, stemming from a decline in theft of cattle.

"From May 21, 2021, we have seen a great reduction in cattle thefts — from over 50 in a day to a mere two cases or no raid in Karamoja.

“Impounding the local gin has greatly impacted on the war against cattle rustling."

So where is the connection?

Longole said that whenever raiders drank the gin (waragi) or etule (in Ng'akaramojong), they would get Dutch courage (strength or confidence gained from drinking alcohol) to launch raids.

But ever since efforts were ramped up against such alcohol in the area, Police say residents do not live in fear as before when raids and animal theft were commonplace.

“The villages are almost waragi-free,” said Longole.

He said a reduction in the sale of illicit gin is now seeing residents save the money they would have used to buy alcohol and instead channel it to home affairs.

Longole said at least seven local leaders were in jail for aiding cattle thefts across Karamoja, which he said taints the image of the local leadership in the area.