Reformed Karimojong warriors while meeting President Museveni recently.
A section of local leaders in the Karamoja sub-region has disowned a group of reformed warriors who met President Yoweri Museveni at State House Entebbe.
On Tuesday, a group of Karimojong Elders and Karachunas said to be reformed warriors selected from different districts across the region met President Museveni to discuss possible solutions to end insecurity.
It is alleged that the reformed warriors who handed over their guns to the government voluntarily were selected by the district and the sub-county chairpersons respectively.
However, the leaders have distanced themselves from the group saying none of them were consulted about the group and nobody knows where it was formulated.
Ismail Mohammed, the Mayor of Moroto Municipality, says that they are investigating the alleged group of reformed warriors and the person behind their mobilization.
Mohammed noted that it is very unfair to use the name of reformed warriors for personal gains yet the genuine people they are struggling to make them embrace peace are left in extreme poverty.
He accused the group of tarnishing the name of the leaders and security forces before the President, which undermines their efforts to end insecurity.
Mohammed revealed that it was not bad for the group to meet the President but it should be for a reasonable course aimed at developing the region together.
Meri Jino, the LCV Chairperson of Kaabong said that he has a full list of the reformed warriors who voluntarily handed over their guns unfortunately none of them was among the group that met the president.
Jino noted that the aspect of people creating groups purported to be reformed warriors is becoming common and it is used for attracting funds from development partners.
He adds that such practices will fuel insecurity because it is becoming a business for making money.
Jino said there is a need to scrutinize the groups purporting to be peace activists to understand their mode of operations.
Michael Lotee, the NRM Chairperson for Moroto said that it was a surprise to learn that a group of reformed warriors were taken to meet the President without his knowledge.
Lotee said he does not know the criteria used for selecting the members and he believes the group is not the reformed warriors as alleged.
John Robert Adupa, the LCIII Chairperson for Lotisan sub County in Moroto district said that he has been seeing different organizations in the villages registering people for peace activities.
Adupa said the organizations have a tendency of bypassing his office and they rush to the communities to implement their activities and this undermines him as the sub-county security chairperson.
He noted that they have been spending cold nights in the bushes trying to convince the warriors to embrace peace and it is painful to learn that other people are receiving support instead of the affected persons.
Adupa appealed to the authorities to investigate the alleged group because if this vice is left to continue, organizations will always use the situation for gains instead of finding permanent solutions to end the problem.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni while meeting the reformed warriors asked the group to stop the tendency of cattle rustling among the Karamojong clans and in the neighboring areas in order to help the government plan better for the sub-region.
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