Otuke leaders caution Karimojong pastoralists

OTUKE. Local leaders in Otuke District have cautioned Karimoja, who travel to the district in search of water and pasture for their livestock during the dry season, against unlawful acts.
The leaders said Karimojong pastoralists should learn to live in harmony with the host communities.
The pastoralists migrate to the neighbouring districts in search of pasture and water for their livestock during dry season.
In February, the pastoralists moved with an estimated 10,000 cattle and goats to Otuke and Alebtong districts. Several acres of crops were reportedly destroyed by their livestock.
Early next year, the pastoralists are expected to migrate with their livestock from Karamoja sub-region to neighbouring districts during the dry season.
When the Karimojong pastoralists visited Otuke early this year, cases of malicious damage of crops were reported.
Around that same period, there was a case where a Karimojong youth, who had been employed by a cattle farmer in Ogwete, Olilim Sub-county in Otuke, stole 28 heads of cattle. He was arrested and the animals recovered. The juvenile is currently undergoing psychosocial rehabilitation at a rehabilitation centre in Mpigi District.
Mr Benson Ogwang Ogo, the former LC5 chairman of Otuke, told Daily Monitor recently that the Karimojong pastoralist always misbehave during dry spell.
“They move their animals anywhere they like and in large numbers and even in the process of moving their animals in large numbers they uproot any cassava plantation. This is the kind of misbehavior we don’t like from our brothers,” he added.
Mr John Wafula, the Otuke Resident District Commissioner (RDC), said the district leadership has sent out a “clear and coordinated message” to the leadership of Abim and Kotido districts in Karamoja.
“You see, the other time there was a lot of public concern about the Karimojong pastoralists. But what they agreed is that there must be an arrangement between the local governments of Kotido, Abim and Otuke,” the RDC said.
According to the RDC, who also chairs the district security committee, the people of Otuke benefited when the Karimojong moved with their animals to Olilim and Ogor sub-counties recently.
“We were getting meat and also getting milk from them cheaply. For them they don’t weigh. They just have the meat in two hands and say this is about Shs10, 000. But when you take home and weigh you realise that you have bought five kilos at only Shs10, 000,” the RDC says.
A litre of milk was being sold at Shs600. In Lango, a kilo of meat is sold at Shs10, 000 and a litre of milk goes for Shs1, 500.

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