Museveni attacks former ESO chief Pulkol

Nov 24, 2010

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has said that disarmament programme in Karamoja region will continue until he gets rid of all guns in the hands of cattle rustlers and other bandits in the area.

By Cyprian Musoke and Olandason Wanyama

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has said that disarmament programme in Karamoja region will continue until he gets rid of all guns in the hands of cattle rustlers and other bandits in the area.

Addressing three separate rallies in Moroto and Napak districts yesterday, Museveni also lashed out at former minister and External Security Organisation boss David Pulkol for campaigning against the disarmament programme. He also castigated Pulkol’s current boss, the Uganda Peoples Congress Party Presidential candidate Olara Otunnu, for saying he (Museveni) “should go home”.

“The main problem of Karamoja has been lawlessness caused by guns. We initially tried to advise that you keep and use them carefully. However, there were so many indisciplined people who would not listen. That’s why we decided remove them,” he told the people of Kangole Chini in Napak district.

He warned that those still hiding guns, like the Jie and Pian, saying the army would continue hunting for them.

The situation in the region, he added, was improving, with the people in Lango, Acholi and Teso promising to vote for the NRM because there was peace.

“You remember they did not use to support the Movement and one of the reasons was that they were unhappy with us and thought we were not hard enough on cattle rustlers. Now there is no more raiding. That’s already a big achievement,” he said.

After all guns are removed, he added, it will be easy to restock the region.

“There are people like Pulkol who will come here and tell you that it was a bad thing to remove guns. How can it be bad when the whole region is now peaceful?” he asked, to chants of NRM Oyee!

“When Pulkol and Olara Otunnu come here, tell them to take away their party of polio because the NRM eradicated polio and the other diseases and none of you here under 25 years has it,” he said.

He revealed that he met Pulkol in Mbale when he was a small boy and got him join the army so they could train him to be a professional to help them solve the problems of Karamoja. “Later, I think he was elected to the NRC, and he later joined a group which let me down.”

Former UPC Vice Chairman Badru Wegulo told the crowd at the second rally in Naidakwae, Moroto that UPC, which was everywhere, is no longer anywhere now. He said Museveni had over the years appointed Pulkol in several positions like state minister for education and later Karamoja, but he did nothing for his people.

“It is only after mama Janet Museveni came here that you people have even started receiving water. When he comes, ask him what he did for you,” he said.

The roads in Karamoja, Museveni said, are now safe from ambushes, despite a few raiding incidents at night. More soldiers, he added, had been recruited from Karamoja help eliminate the problem.

“I appeal to you not to listen to those saying we should bring back the guns because it caused so much suffering here. With additional soldiers it should be easy to remove all the guns,” he stressed.

Museveni said that the second problem of the region was water, for which the government sends an average of sh600m annually.

“But you must make sure it is properly used. There has been a big problem in Karamoja of stealing this money, thinking because of insecurity we will not be able to come and check,” he said to applause.

He said the minister of state for Karamoja, Janet Museveni, would soon inspect all the work the district officials claim to have done, and would hold them to account for all the funds sent.

The President said government would extend free education to S5 and S6.

Museveni arrived in Napak at the usual 2:00pm donning a grey suit and Stetson hat. He kept trying to calm the crowds fighting to get a glimpse of him.

He said Government would compensate all those who lost cattle or property through rustling and the disarmament process would be compensated.


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