Agago District Chairperson Wilson Otto has appealed to the government and humanitarian organisations to launch rehabilitation programmes for communities affected by years of suspected Karamojong cattle raids, saying fear, trauma and displacement continue to cripple development in the district’s border areas.
Otto made the appeal during the funeral rites of 44-year-old Thomas Ocen in Longor Village, Layita Parish, Omiya Pacwa Sub-county, where residents accused suspected Karamojong warriors of escalating attacks on civilians.
Ocen was killed by an arrow last month while returning from visiting his in-laws. He leaves behind a widow and orphaned children, some of whom attend Longor Primary School.
Residents say suspected warriors are now frequently seen around farmland and grazing areas, claiming the violence has shifted from livestock theft to direct attacks and intimidation of communities.
Speaking at the funeral, Otto said communities along Agago’s border with Karamoja continue to endure killings, displacement, loss of property and psychological trauma despite the presence of security forces.
He calls on development partners to support rehabilitation programmes for communities affected by cattle raids.
However, Agago Resident District Commissioner James Nabinson Kidega urges residents not to jump to conclusions over Ocen’s killing, saying investigations were still underway.
Kidega says investigators recovered two arrows at the scene, one believed to resemble those commonly associated with Karamojong warriors and another reportedly manufactured within Agago District, raising questions about the identity of the attackers. He urges residents to remain vigilant, report suspicious individuals to security agencies and avoid spreading unverified information that could undermine investigations.
By URN
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