By Four Turkana warriors from neighboring Kenya have been put out of action in Moroto after violating a directive by President Museveni banning them from entering Uganda with guns.
According to Maj Moses Amuya, the acting UPDF third division spokesperson, on Saturday, suspected Turkana warriors have continued to sneak into the country while armed with guns to conduct raids, kidnap civilians and soldiers, and kill others.
“On November 18, 2023, suspected Turkana warriors exchanged fire with UPDF soldiers on routine patrol, and during the engagement, four suspected Turkana warriors were neutralized and firearms charged. The incident occurred in Magos parish Rupa Sub-county in Moroto District,” Maj Amuya said.
He appealed to the Ugandan Karamojong communities along the borderlines who have continued to form criminal alliances with their kinship the Turkana to commit these crimes to desist from such acts with immediate effect.
“We appeal to the Karamojong communities bordering the Republic of Kenya who continue to harbor and collaborate with the Turkana cattle rustlers to strongly desist from criminal acts, as they stand to face the law. Likewise, the Turkana offenders are not immune to prosecution.”
President Museveni in Executive Order No. issued in May 2023 directed that Turkana warriors should never return to Uganda with guns.
“The Turkana must never come to Uganda with guns. Anybody who does so must be arrested and charged with terrorism by the Court Martial. I direct that this Turkana nonsense must stop,” Museveni said.
President Museveni also said these Turkana warriors were responsible for the killing of Ugandan geologists and two UPDF soldiers last year.
He gave the Turkana population six months to implement his directives or else he will issue tough orders.
“If, however, the issue of the guns illegally entering Uganda, the handover of the criminals who killed our geologists, or the use of traditional justice and return of the stolen cattle are not resolved, I will have no alternative but to expel all the Kenyan Turkanas and their cattle and they will never be allowed to re-enter Uganda with their cattle,” Museveni said.
In September 2019 President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Kaguta Museveni signed an agreement aimed at promoting sustainable peace and development among Turkana, Pokot, and Karamojong communities. However, cattle rustling and other insecurities continue to shoot up between these communities each accusing the other of being the route cause
