Minister denies involvement in Karamojong raid

Ugandan Minister of State for Karamoja Peter Lokeris on Tuesday denied reports that he was involved in a recent Karamojong raid on a camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Katakwi District, 'The New Vision' reported. Lokeris was quoted as saying by the government-owned newspaper that he was "upset" by remarks linking him to the attack. "I have been involved in the peace initiative [in the Karamoja subregion] for quite a long time. It is unfortunate that I am being misunderstood," he said. The MP for Ngora County, Kumi District, Francis Epetait, last week claimed that Lokeris was connected with a raid by Karamojong pastoralists on the IDP camp at Ngarium, Katakwi District, in which some 17 people were killed. Epetait said the raiders came from Pian County, Moroto District, Lokeris's home region. "I cannot delink Lokeris from the recent attacks on Ngarium sub-county," he said. Lokeris appealed on Tuesday to the Karamojong to put an end to violent cattle raids in Katakwi. He told Radio Uganda that persistent raiding was deterring NGOs, investors and government officials from working in both Karamoja and Katakwi, and said the government was determined to catch and prosecute the raiders. 'New Vision' quoted Lokeris as saying that the Karamojong possessed an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 guns. The government of President Yoweri Museveni has been criticised by MPs for failing to disarm the Karamojong. The government says, however, that the task of disarming the Karamojong is complicated by the flow of arms from neighbouring countries across the Ugandan borders. "We have managed to get a few [guns] from them under the disarmament programme. However, we still have a big problem with Sudan. When they [the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army] are hungry, they cross [into Uganda] and sell the guns to the Karamojong," Lokeris said.