Here’s why Ex-Parliamentary Commissioner Francis Zaake’s Threat to Camp in Karamoja is Irrelevant

By Churchill Lokoroi

Francis Zaake, the MP for Mityana Municipality, who was recently thrown out of the Parliamentary Commission over misconduct, has in a tweet, threatened to camp in Karamoja if government fails to come up with quick and reliable solutions to the insecurity in Karamoja.

To begin with, what does Hon. Zaake mean by “quick and reliable solutions?” Quick and Reliable according to who? Karamoja’s security question does not require solutions that are arrived at in a feverish haste. It requires a correct and thorough diagnosis of the problem. This correct diagnosis of society problem(s) and correct prescription is what President Museveni has been preaching about and it is the reason why the NRM government has been in power for decades now.

For starters, there were small inter-clan raids in Karamoja until 1955 when there was the first massive raid in Teso where 22 people were killed and over 2,000 cows stolen.

In 1961 up to the time of independence in 1962, there was a disarmament initiative that was meant to collect all instruments of violence in Karamoja, mainly spears, in a period that came to be called ekaru amukuki.

Between 1983 and 1984, there was an attempt, albeit in futility, by the Obote II government to disarm the Karimojong.

The most consistent disarmament campaign in the history of Karamoja started with the coming to power of the NRM Government.

In December 2001, a disarmament exercise was formally launched. President Museveni pitched camp in Morulinga in present day Napak District. He personally spearheaded a political mobilization across Karamoja.

It is such efforts that resulted in relative peace that Karamoja enjoyed until 2019 when the situation started going sour. With that experience, I am certain that Government will solve the current resurgence of insecurity.

By mentioning that Government is in possession of every type of security machinery, Hon. Zaake is acknowledging that Government has the force capability to deal with the insecurity.

It is such force capability that is responsible for the assault against the ADF. It is such force capability that has given al-Shabaab a bloody nose. It is this force capability that will be used and is being used to solve the insecurity situation in Karamoja.

Hon. Zaake goes on to say that government is quick to deploy every type of security machinery in town to crack down on the opposition. This is not true. Recently, his party president, Hon. Kyagulanyi was in Bugisu and in Teso and no security machinery was deployed to curtail him.

Former Presidential candidate Mr. Joseph Kiiza Kabuleta, held meetings in several towns, uninterrupted, after the 2021 presidential election.

However, deployment of the security machinery is intelligence-led. Where there is intelligence information that points to the likelihood of commission of crime irrespective of whether you are an opposition leader or not, then deployment is done accordingly.

Therefore, like he has been to Karamoja before, let Hon. Zaake look for another reason to camp in the sub-region other than Government’s handling of the insecurity situation in Karamoja. If he is looking for Government’s failure on it or on anything, it may take him long to go and camp in Karamoja.

Because, as sure as day follows night, the insecurity issue will be resolved, and  President Museveni’s Government has demonstrated its capacity to deal with anything and security is one of their best areas of specialty.

Churchill Lokoroi writes from Amudat