Youth at Agago district headquarters joined by Kidega the RDC, Butiime and Akori (all seated) during the dialogue. Photos by Arnest Tumwesige
By Arnest Tumwesige
Agago: Youth in Acholi, Lango, and Karamoja sub-regions want the government to support them with hybrid seeds to boost production.
The measure is regarded as an incentive to the beneficiaries to engage in meaningful farming, which is an alternative to the habitual cattle raiding by some Karamojong.
More than 100 youth voiced their request at Agago district headquarters as they gathered to draw strategies for harmonious living among the three communities.
Benson Lugwar, the Agago male district councilor who championed the engagement noted that young people have a high stake in ensuring that peace exists by carefully finding solutions.
According to Lugwar cattle rustling started way back in 1979, and since then, the rustlers have taken over 20,000 animals from Acholi sub-region, burned houses, killed several people, and many more.
Despite numerous attempts by the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government to restore sanity since 1986, this has only yielded short relief.
In 2000, the rustlers who are mainly believed to be from Karamoja came back and caused what Lugwar described as the worst attack, affecting the sub-counties of Paimol, Omiya pacwa, Lapono, and Adilang in Agago district.
Again, in 2005 the same tragedy recurred, affecting the lives of many people in Agago, Kitgum, Abim, and districts bordering Kotido.
“From 2019 up to date our communities are living in deplorable conditions. More than 50,000 cows and 20,000 goats have been taken; 200 houses burnt, 500 people killed, 3,000 households displaced, 250 people injured, 219 women and young girls raped, 1,890 young children dropped out of schools and thousands of hectares of farmland which would have been used to increase production abandoned,” Lugwar claimed.
Mercy Atyang, a youth from Kabong district commended the initiative, noting that if young people are engaged in the peace process, they will act responsibly.
“This engagement is to ensure that we’re at the center stage but also start being productive. That is why we need support to engage in farming,” Atyang noted.
Youth vital in peace
Leonard Ojok, the Agago district chairperson, said the plight of the people in Acholi sub-region cannot be ignored any longer and as such, it is time for action, empathy, and justice.
Ojok noted that for a long time, the people of Karamoja have been unleashing suffering on their neighbors causing displacement and marginalization.
“The atrocities committed against them have left scars that may never fully heal. We cannot turn a blind eye to their suffering any longer,” Ojok noted.
He commended the youth for acknowledging the problem and coming out to find solutions and he committed to support the strategies identified.
Recommendations agreed on
During the engagement, there was a consensus on the need for massive sensitization of youth in the community to uphold government projects like youth livelihood and PDM.
“We also resolved on skilling more youth in the area affected communities by sending the identified beneficiaries to youth industrial hubs,” Lugwar told GNNA.
They also agreed to form youth peace associations in the three sub-regions to support massive dialogue and report any act of raiding to security officials.
Youth in three categories
Col. (Rtd) Tom Butiime the Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities challenged youth to stand out and be game changers by engaging in productive ventures other than waiting for handouts.
Butiime noted that youth must fall into the three categories of being of the working class, skilled, or at school. He said these categories are very important for self-reflection in daily life if one is to become productive.
“If you’re not working in formal employment, you must be working at home or school. As one wakes up every morning, the focus should be either going to work training or at school. You should also not be deceived that for one to work, you must have gone through formal training,” Butiime explained.
Beatrice Akello Akori, the woman Member of Parliament for Agago District, said the frequent raids are a bottleneck to achieving social and economic transformation between the Acholi, Lango, and Karamoja sub-regions.
Akori who is also the Minister for Economic Monitoring in the office of the President noted that youth-led initiatives have a high impact on addressing the root causes of violence and insecurity in the three sub-regions and thus must be supported.
“We must prioritize reconciliation and dialogue between communities in the three sub-regions. We cannot allow divisions and animosities to continue existing leading to further violence and bloodshed. Instead, we must work together to build bridges, foster understanding, and promote peace and unity,” Akori emphasized.
James Nabonson Kidega, the Agago Resident District Commissioner (RDC), said the government has put in place different measures to scale down the attacks including army detaches in all the parishes at the borderline, and dialoguing with Karamoja local leaders.
Kidega, however, encouraged youths to use their platforms to sensitize and mentor young people who are home to embrace hard work and uphold different government programs such as Parish Development Model EMYOOGA, and Youth Livelihood Program among others.
The RDC said once people lack money, they will always be tempted to think of rustling which the government is solving through the different interventions being put in place.
