By Stanley Ebele
The Uganda People’s Defense Forces – UPDF has called on the armed youths in Karamoja to take advantage of the amnesty from the president to handover all illegal guns to security forces as they embark on consolidating the existing peace. The youths have also been advised to tap government programs especially PDM and Emyooga to transform from poverty to money economy.
The call was made by commanding officer 43 battalion Lt. Col. Emmanuel Kafureeka who represented the 405 brigade commander Lt. Col. Gaston Mugara at the celebrations to mark Tarehe Sita in Kotido town at Lomukura Primary School Playground.
Kafureka challenged the youth to handover all illegal guns in their hands to the forces through local structures like the LCs so that the region is fully pacified.
He noted that they have intelligence information that some youths in Karamoja were still keeping the firearms, a situation he called risky as the Joint security forces would strike anytime to remove the illegal weapons from such people.
Lt. Col. Kafureeka also lauded the civil-military relationship which the UPDF enjoys with wanainchi the civilian community. He warned the UPDF officers against indulging acts of indiscipline saying they would be held personally liable for their actions. He warned his officers saying they should put the interest of citizens they are serving forefront as a committed force which serves with a lot of sacrifice.
The Kotido Resident District Commissioner Charles Ichogor who was chief guest told the gathering to be patriotic citizens. He explained that a patriot is anyone who loves himself, others around him as well as his country.
He exemplified patriotism to the service of NRA, now UPDF and the 27 historical guerrilla fighters who led the NRA rebellion which took over power on 26 February 1986 ushered the NRM and President Yoweri Museveni to power.
Commissioner Ichogior used the celebration to highlight among others the achievements of the current government including peace, security and wealth creation programs such as PDM.
