Kenya not ready to disarm warriors
Aug 10, 2009
THE Kenyan government is not ready to disarm the pastoral groups on the border with Uganda or elsewhere in the country, Kenya’s labour minister John Munyes said over the weekend.
By Olandason Wanyama
THE Kenyan government is not ready to disarm the pastoral groups on the border with Uganda or elsewhere in the country, Kenya’s labour minister John Munyes said over the weekend.
“Though our people have guns, there are little or no conflicts compared to our neighbours, the Karimojong, who are killing themselves,†Munyes told a large group of pastoralists, including representatives from Uganda, in the Kenyan town of Lokiriama in Loima district.
He said it was a misrepresentation of facts for anybody to claim that his government had started disarmament or had plans to do so.
The minister said Kenya would carry out disarmament only if Sudan and Ethiopia did so.
“We require a regional approach which will be compelled with intensive community policing,†Munyes noted.
He said they will disarm selectively and some guns would remain to protect people and their property.
Munyes was presiding over a ceremony commemorating the 1973 peace accord signed between the Matheniko and Turkana communities.
The event was attended by delegates from Ny’angatom of Ethiopia, Jie and Matheniko leaders from Uganda.
On the peace accord, Munyes commended the Turkana and Matheniko for abiding by the agreement by not raiding each other.
“For the past years, we have not had serious conflicts among these two families,†he said, adding that Kenya was in advanced stages of providing water to the pastoralists so that they can stop roaming.
The resident district commissioner of Moroto, Nahaman Ojwee, said Uganda would continue with its disarmament exercise “because we realise it is beneficial to our regionâ€.
Ojwee said Karamoja had lagged behind for too long and the region could only achieve peace through disarmament.
UPDF 3rd Division commander, Brig. Patrick Kankiriho, earlier called upon Kenya to follow Uganda’s example and regulate the number of arms in the hands of civilians.
“In Uganda, we resolved that all guns must be owned by organised trained groups under command. I suggest that Kenya follows suit,†he said while addressing local leaders from both sides of the border in June.
He noted that the Kenyan Pokot were taking advantage of the disarmament exercise in Uganda to raid the Karimojong and Sabiny, who live in the border districts.
“Kenya may see no point in disarming the Pokot in the short run. But with time, these warriors will turn against their government,†Kankiriho said.
The Government in 2004 launched the disarmament programme in Karamoja, aimed at reducing cattle rustling.
The UPDF has so far recovered 27,000 guns. Upe MP Francis Kiyonga last month said this represented 75% of the guns owned by the warriors.
MPs under the Karamoja Parliamentary Group last month said they suspected the warriors were getting new guns from Southern Sudan and Kenya.
“The Government should move fast to bring on board the Kenyan and Sudanese governments. They need to disarm their tribes to stop more guns from coming in,†Kiyonga said.
THE Kenyan government is not ready to disarm the pastoral groups on the border with Uganda or elsewhere in the country, Kenya’s labour minister John Munyes said over the weekend.
“Though our people have guns, there are little or no conflicts compared to our neighbours, the Karimojong, who are killing themselves,†Munyes told a large group of pastoralists, including representatives from Uganda, in the Kenyan town of Lokiriama in Loima district.
He said it was a misrepresentation of facts for anybody to claim that his government had started disarmament or had plans to do so.
The minister said Kenya would carry out disarmament only if Sudan and Ethiopia did so.
“We require a regional approach which will be compelled with intensive community policing,†Munyes noted.
He said they will disarm selectively and some guns would remain to protect people and their property.
Munyes was presiding over a ceremony commemorating the 1973 peace accord signed between the Matheniko and Turkana communities.
The event was attended by delegates from Ny’angatom of Ethiopia, Jie and Matheniko leaders from Uganda.
On the peace accord, Munyes commended the Turkana and Matheniko for abiding by the agreement by not raiding each other.
“For the past years, we have not had serious conflicts among these two families,†he said, adding that Kenya was in advanced stages of providing water to the pastoralists so that they can stop roaming.
The resident district commissioner of Moroto, Nahaman Ojwee, said Uganda would continue with its disarmament exercise “because we realise it is beneficial to our regionâ€.
Ojwee said Karamoja had lagged behind for too long and the region could only achieve peace through disarmament.
UPDF 3rd Division commander, Brig. Patrick Kankiriho, earlier called upon Kenya to follow Uganda’s example and regulate the number of arms in the hands of civilians.
“In Uganda, we resolved that all guns must be owned by organised trained groups under command. I suggest that Kenya follows suit,†he said while addressing local leaders from both sides of the border in June.
He noted that the Kenyan Pokot were taking advantage of the disarmament exercise in Uganda to raid the Karimojong and Sabiny, who live in the border districts.
“Kenya may see no point in disarming the Pokot in the short run. But with time, these warriors will turn against their government,†Kankiriho said.
The Government in 2004 launched the disarmament programme in Karamoja, aimed at reducing cattle rustling.
The UPDF has so far recovered 27,000 guns. Upe MP Francis Kiyonga last month said this represented 75% of the guns owned by the warriors.
MPs under the Karamoja Parliamentary Group last month said they suspected the warriors were getting new guns from Southern Sudan and Kenya.
“The Government should move fast to bring on board the Kenyan and Sudanese governments. They need to disarm their tribes to stop more guns from coming in,†Kiyonga said.