Prime
Only big investments can end insecurity in Karamoja, says minister Kania
What you need to know:
- Mr Kania made the remarks while commissioning the construction of Shs7 billion one kilometre street in Moroto Municipality with support from Uganda Support for Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID).
The State Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mr Mario Obiga Kania has said that the issue of insecurity in the Karamoja sub-region can only be addressed by the massive establishment of multibillion investments projects that will create jobs for many disgruntled Karimojong.
Mr Kania made the remarks while commissioning the construction of Shs7 billion one kilometre street in Moroto Municipality with support from Uganda Support for Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID).
Karamoja sub-region had enjoyed peace for the last 10 years after the government successfully disarmed the rustlers, until recently when the vices of cattle rustling and burglary started resurfacing.
From July 17, 2021, the joint force of police and the army launched the disarmament exercise, but they have since managed to collect only 114 guns and 1042 ammunition from the rustlers.
But according to Mr Kania, the people who are causing insecurity in the region have nothing to lose, but they will get settled once the region starts receiving big investments and they get jobs.
"You see those boys who are causing insecurity in Karamoja? They have nothing to lose, but when we put a lot of investments in the region, they will be employed and also begin their side hustles which will make them busy and forgetting the bad practices," he said.