Warriors raid Kotido town
Oct 31, 2006
ARMED Karimojong warriors on Monday evening raided Kotido town and looted property.
By Nathan Etengu
and Steven Candia
ARMED Karimojong warriors on Monday evening raided Kotido town and looted property.
The warriors attacked the senior quarters and looted from homes, including that of the district internal security officer (DISO).
District police commander John Peter Ematu and CID chief Ben Abura confirmed the incident.
“All the houses in the senior quarters were looted and the occupants have run away,†Abura said on phone.
The army yesterday described the incident as an attempt to loot, blaming it on remnants of Karimojong warriors who survived the Sunday morning clash and were bitter that their guns had been taken.
The looting, Abura said, started at about 5:00pm when the warriors, who had the previous night killed 16 UPDF soldiers, were returning to their locations in Panyangara sub-county.
The details and value of looted property could not be established since the occupants had fled.
But the 3rd division army spokesperson, Lt. Henry Obbo, yesterday said the army responded fast and foiled the plot.
“These remnants of the warriors, annoyed that we had collected all their weapons after the Sunday clash in which we lost a major, thought they could steal and loot and bring lawlessness in Karamoja but that is not attainable any more,†Obbo said, adding that nothing was looted in the incident.
“We moved in fast and contained the situation,†he said, pointing out that though there were a few isolated incidents of thuggery, the district was calm.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) yesterday dismissed reports that it had evacuated its staff from the district.
But the WFP area programme coordinator, James Feeney, said they were following the developments in the district keenly.
“We are absolutely in control and at the moment, everything is calm,†he said. He urged residents to “keep the prevailing peace.†The army, he said, would continue with the disarmament exercise.
The incident came a day after armed Karimojong warriors shot dead 16 soldiers, including the commanding officer of the UPDF 67th Battalion, Maj. Kaamu Rwanshande. The clash also left 11 warriors dead.
A source in Kotido said some of the people who fled their homes had taken refuge at the Church of Uganda compound.
“I am informed that the office of the district sports officer on the district administration block was also looted,†the source said.
Chief administrative officer Walter Iriama said the looting took place as he was leaving for Mbale.
“I am studying the road so that I can also leave the district,†Iriama said.
Ends
and Steven Candia
ARMED Karimojong warriors on Monday evening raided Kotido town and looted property.
The warriors attacked the senior quarters and looted from homes, including that of the district internal security officer (DISO).
District police commander John Peter Ematu and CID chief Ben Abura confirmed the incident.
“All the houses in the senior quarters were looted and the occupants have run away,†Abura said on phone.
The army yesterday described the incident as an attempt to loot, blaming it on remnants of Karimojong warriors who survived the Sunday morning clash and were bitter that their guns had been taken.
The looting, Abura said, started at about 5:00pm when the warriors, who had the previous night killed 16 UPDF soldiers, were returning to their locations in Panyangara sub-county.
The details and value of looted property could not be established since the occupants had fled.
But the 3rd division army spokesperson, Lt. Henry Obbo, yesterday said the army responded fast and foiled the plot.
“These remnants of the warriors, annoyed that we had collected all their weapons after the Sunday clash in which we lost a major, thought they could steal and loot and bring lawlessness in Karamoja but that is not attainable any more,†Obbo said, adding that nothing was looted in the incident.
“We moved in fast and contained the situation,†he said, pointing out that though there were a few isolated incidents of thuggery, the district was calm.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) yesterday dismissed reports that it had evacuated its staff from the district.
But the WFP area programme coordinator, James Feeney, said they were following the developments in the district keenly.
“We are absolutely in control and at the moment, everything is calm,†he said. He urged residents to “keep the prevailing peace.†The army, he said, would continue with the disarmament exercise.
The incident came a day after armed Karimojong warriors shot dead 16 soldiers, including the commanding officer of the UPDF 67th Battalion, Maj. Kaamu Rwanshande. The clash also left 11 warriors dead.
A source in Kotido said some of the people who fled their homes had taken refuge at the Church of Uganda compound.
“I am informed that the office of the district sports officer on the district administration block was also looted,†the source said.
Chief administrative officer Walter Iriama said the looting took place as he was leaving for Mbale.
“I am studying the road so that I can also leave the district,†Iriama said.
Ends