A section of Peace Committee Chairpersons in Karamoja, say they don’t regret the shooting of Aped Longole, the LC III vice-chairperson of Napumpum sub-county in Kotido district. Longole met his death at the hands of joint security forces on Friday while leading a team of cattle rustlers on a raid.
The group fell in an ambush laid by Joint forces while driving stolen animals from Apeitolim to Kotido via Abim district. Now, Mark Pedo, the chairman of the Regen peace committee in Kotido, says they don’t regret the shooting of the local council leaders. He says many leaders in the region are involved in cattle rustling.
“This cattle rustling is benefiting many people including our leaders and how I wish they could also be killed,” he said.
According to pedo, some peace committee chairpersons have been killed by rustlers because of exposing their mischief.
Maruk Apananya, another peace committee chairperson, says that the leaders know the people who raid and those with illegal firearms but keep quiet. “When we come out as Chairpersons of peace committees to reveal the names of criminals. These very leaders incite the raiders who are their relatives to kill us. So let them die,” he said.
Dengel Apacucu another peace committee leader, predicted that another leader will soon be gunneddown. “Longole has died but his spirit will call other leaders to die the way he has been killed,” he said.
Francis Kiyonga, the former Amudat District Chairperson, said that cattle rustling will not end in Karamoja if the mindset of leaders doesn’t change. “Until the mindset of leaders is disarmed, cattle rustling will never end in Karamoja,” he said.
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