The reformed warriors have called upon the government of Uganda to support them in starting up SACCOs that will improve their livelihood and bring about socio-economic transformation.

The reformed warriors were participating in a one-week 9th edition of the Karamoja Cultural Festival that kicked off on September 2, 2024, and will close on Saturday, September 7, 2024, at Karenga Catholic Church grounds in Karenga district, Karamoja region.

Reformed Warriors are the Karacuna group that used to carry out raids of cattle and goats and terrorize communities in the region. They are currently over 60 in number from the districts of Nabilatuk, Napak, and Nakapiripirit, among others.

While interviewing a group of 14 reformed Warriors at Jubilee 2000 S.S-Karenga Gardens (a Catholic-founded school) in Karenga district on Friday, September 6, 2024, they expressed the need for the government to offer them support by starting up projects and SACCOs, which they said will help transform their lives.

Peter Irwata, the Karacuna group leader in Napak district, accused the district leaders and Members of Parliament of being corrupt by swindling their money that is sent by President Museveni to help them improve economically. He, therefore, urged the government to form them a SACCO and projects for them as the Karacuna.

“We, the Karacuna, are suffering. We are requesting the government to open for us SACCOs to improve our financial standards. The people who are given money, including district leaders and MPs, are just eating it. So, we want our own SACCO where we will be able to borrow and do business and then return after,” Irwata said.

Saidi Imalany, the Vice Chairperson of the Karacuna group in Nabilatuk district, said that since they reformed, they no longer carry out raids; instead, they support the UPDF in the disarmament process.

“Ever since the Karacuna reformed four years ago, there are no more raids, but the reformed group looks for those guys who are raiding and tells them to return guns to the government, simplifying the soldiers’ work. Whenever this group sees the wrong person, we organize ourselves as a group and do the work.

He requested the government facilitate them while doing the disarmament work and sensitizing other youth to abandon raiding.

Read Also: UPDF Troops Foil Jie Warriors’ Cattle Theft Attempt, Retrieve Stolen Livestock

Imalany called for the government’s support in terms of empowering them in skills like carpentry work, bricklaying, tailoring, and other developmental projects that will bring mindset change to the group.

He, however, criticized the government leaders from the Karamoja region for keeping information from President Museveni that is meant to develop the reformed warriors to themselves and swindling the funds sent to them.

During preparations for the main celebrations of the Karamoja Cultural Festival, which will be presided over by President Museveni at Karenga Catholic Church grounds on September 7, 2024, a group from the Jie community was advocating for peace through preaching the message in their cultural songs and slogans as they praised the government for disarming them.

“We have come back from the business; thank you to the government for removing guns from us. Choose peace be the change,” they sung while dancing.

However, the onlookers dismissed the Jie’s message, saying that they are the main problem, adding that the Jie and Karacuna are acting out of pretense. They said that after four months, they will go back to their old ways.

The Karamoja Cultural Festival started eight years ago with this event making its ninth year, the reason it is called the 9th edition. The cultural event aims at preserving peace and unity among the Karamajong, Turkana, Pokot, Dodoth, Jie, Nyangatom, and other tribes as Ateker to promote cultural diversity.