UPDF warns NGOs against portraying Karamoja as insecure

The Uganda Peoples Defence Force (UPDF) has warned development partners operating in Karamoja sub region in northern Uganda, to stop exaggerating security situations there.

The warning was issued on Tuesday by the 3rd division commander Brig Joseph Balukudembe while leading the UPDF soldiers to clean Moroto Regional Referral Hospital as they prepare to celebrate their 39th anniversary known as Tarehe Sita.

He said that he has been reading various social media and NGO reports claiming that security situation in Karamoja was bad.

Brig Balukdembe said that NGOs should not use isolated incidents of cattle theft for them to attract donor funds saying Karamoja was not peaceful.

“People are going through with their businesses day and night without being attacked, so let our brothers stop portraying that the security situation of Karamoja is bad. Karamoja will never go back to where it was before,” he said.

Over the last two months Karimojong resumed inter-clan cattle raiding causing panic among the general public in the region, but the situation is now under control after the heavy deployment of Local Defence Unit personnel in the region.

According to Brig Balukudembe any bullet sound heard while fighting criminality in Karamoja is not directed to any student, road user or NGO official. He warned that the law will catch up with those trying to portray Karamoja as insecure.

He told the people of Karamoja to look at UPDF soldiers as their brothers and sister but not as their enemy.