When bullets rained like popcorn

“I am Sister Christine Nanyanzi Nakuwam, a trained social-worker, posted to Karamoja (Kaabong District) five years ago. In 2005, the fighting with warriors played out here like music – it was constant that we used to call it ‘popcorn’.

One time, warriors attacked our compound at night in order to raid livestock and shot a boy who was a son to the man keeping the animals.
Today, things have calmed and people are going about doing their businesses peacefully. They can now sleep, drink and dance throughout the night.

I must, through, the Defence and Military Spokesman, Lt. Col. Felix Kulayigye [who was present], thank the army for the hard work they have done [to disarm the warriors].

Due to the prevailing peace, we have been able to reach out to the community. We have formed the St. Monica Women’s Group with 250 members whose savings have grown to Shs10 million.

Development activities
The activities we engage in include children protection, catering, tailoring, hair-dressing, sanitation and hygiene; peace promotion, brick-making and music and drama.

Our group is the best entertainment group and there is no official function in the district where we do not get invited to perform.
We have 10 tailoring students being trained using sewing machines donated by [Catholic relief NGO] CARITAS.

In 2005, NUREP (Northern Uganda Reconstruction Programme) funded our peace campaign and after one-and-half-years, we initiated reconciliation between warriors and women. Thirty warriors have now joined us and are moving together with women in our group to promote peace.

Combating rustling
The only way to control the Karatunas (young warriors) is to give them skills to engage in income-generating activities. They say they need something productive to keep them busy.

We work in Komria West, Komria East wards of Kaabong town and also in rural communities. Some of the women in our group have now bought plots using their own savings and built houses in which they stay peacefully. This is a great achievement. Some of these women lost their husbands in cattle raids. But they are hard working and resilient.

If women in Karamoja are empowered, there will be peace and development.
We are also putting up a big multi-purpose centre in Kaabong town and need Shs100 million to complete it. Anyone can support us.”

As narrated to Tabu Butagira