The 3^rd- Infantry Division Deputy Commander, Brigadier General Felix Busizoori has revealed that following the extension of the amnesty window during a security and community mobilization engagement that was held at Tapach Sub County, Katikekile Parish, Tepeth County in Moroto District, the security situation in Karamoja Sub-Region has remained relatively calm for the past two months.

“We have not had serious raids, especially in North Karamoja that is; Kaabong, Kotido, Karenga and Abim which originally registered the biggest number of raids.

 The Karachunas have totally embraced peace even to their neighbouring districts like Kitgum, Lira, Agago,” said Brigadier General Felix Busizoori.

He said that for the last three months, they have recovered one hundred twelve (112) guns and called upon the Karachunas to abandon the guns and embrace peace for the social-economic transformation to prevail in Karamoja region.

A group of Karamojongs attending a security meeting in Moroto on Wednesday

Busizoori appealed to the community to desist from revenge and place that responsibility on security forces by availing them with timely necessary information.

“Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) is here to protect you and your property that is why we have made deployments alongside the boarders and porus boarders from the Turkanas” he said.

He also appealed to the community to refrain from charcoal burning as a result of cutting trees and embrace nature and seek for other methods of earning a living and also do away with ‘Etule’ a local brewery that is harmful to their health and the society.

As a symbol of Peace, five guns from Lokwang Lorengen (Mutia Village, Tapach Sub County), Lodim Longoria (Nakomoli-Usaret Village, Katikekile Parish), Lokamar Lorot (Natabakalejoi Village, Makwanga Parish), Lodim Angella (Longurepe Village, Kakingol Parish), Lorengedwat Lodim (Tapach Sub County, Katikekile parish) from Moroto District were voluntarily handed over to X-Ray Battalion in Loputuk Sub County under 403 Brigade.

The 3rd- Infantry Division Deputy Commander, Brigadier General Felix Busizoori during the meeting.

In his remarks, Justin Tuko the Deputy Resident District Commissioner has revealed that more Karamoja communities mostly the Karachunas, have continued to embrace the fruits of amnesty by voluntarily handing over their guns to the joint security forces.

“Today we have five of them who previously handed over their guns voluntarily and we have given them certificates to act as an exhibit that they returned the guns voluntarily to UPDF” Said Tuko.

On the other hand, the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Francis Chemusto, the Mount Moroto Regional Police Commander said that through community mobilizations, they have managed deliver by getting fighting criminality tendencies in the region.