Warriors in Karenga district have up to two weeks to come out of the jungle and use the amnesty window to surrender illegal firearms in their possession. Security authorities announced the ultimatum over the weekend during a peace dialogue that was held in Sangar Sub County where a list of over forty suspected cattle rustlers with illegal guns were released.
According to the security authorities, the warriors have two weeks starting today to surrender the illegal guns before they start hunting them down from their hide outs. Filbert Ocailap, the Karenga Resident District Commissioner said that the warriors have paid deaf ears to the amnesty program despite several calls. He observed that there has been a resurgence of insecurity for the last one month and this has frustrated service deliveries.
Ocailap noted that in the last one month, two soldiers and a teacher from Kaabong technical institute were killed while a local councilor of Kawanakol Sub County was abducted and shot on the leg. He notes that the warriors have continued attacking even government institutions such as schools and health facilities forcing the staff to flee away.
He said that they shall not wait for the situation to get out of hand and now the warriors are given only two weeks to surrender their guns or else be killed. He appealed to the armed warriors who are still in the bush to return home and get involved in the government programs such as Parish Development Model and Emyooga to fight poverty in their households.
Santos Loigi, the Sangar Sub County LC V councilor said that the warriors are known in the communities and the list has already been generated. Loigi noted that there are few individuals from Sangar Sub County who have connived with other warriors outside the district to conduct raids.
Ben Atom Koryang, the Dodoth West County Member of Parliament in Karenga district observed that there are few wrong elements in the communities who are harboring criminals causing insecurity. Koryang noted that the people of Karenga have always been victims of cattle raids and the effort to address it is frustrated by the collaborators within the district.
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