The Defence and Internal Affairs Committee of Parliament has urged the government to expedite the joint border demarcation process with South Sudan to safeguard Uganda’s territorial integrity and address ongoing security threats in the Karamoja region. The Committee’s recommendations were presented in a report on the security situation in the districts of Moroto, Kaabong, and Abim during a plenary session chaired by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa on Wednesday, September 18, 2024.
The report followed Speaker Anita Among’s directive from the August plenary in Gulu City, tasking the Committee to assess security in the Greater North Region and provide a detailed briefing to Parliament. Presenting the findings, Kibanda North MP Linos Ngompek highlighted that the unresolved border dispute between Uganda and South Sudan is a significant threat to the region’s security. “The Committee’s findings underscore the urgent need to resolve territorial conflicts with South Sudan,” Ngompek stated.
The report revealed that ongoing tensions over the border have severely impacted the socio-economic well-being of communities in the region. It called for swift action to finalize the border demarcation process using established treaties, colonial maps, and official coordinates to prevent further conflict. The Committee also called for reinforced security infrastructure, recommending the deployment of a UPDF brigade in Kaabong, construction of new security roads, and measures to ensure access to water for pastoralist communities during droughts.
Despite the launch of the UPDF’s “Usalama Kwa Wote” campaign in July 2021 to stabilize Karamoja by disarming criminals and recovering stolen livestock, internal thefts persist across Acholi, Lango, Teso, Bugisu, and Sebei regions. Between May 2023 and August 2024, the UPDF’s 5th Infantry Brigade recovered 923 stolen cattle, though 214 remain unaccounted for. The Committee commended efforts to return recovered livestock to its rightful owners and reclaim former Jie warrior hideouts in Ogili, Lapono, Kuldwong, and Orom Hills.
Additionally, the report recommended increased UPDF and police patrols along Uganda’s porous borders to protect local communities and proposed a higher recruitment quota for Karimojong youth in the army to reduce cattle raiding and conflict. The Committee further urged the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to curb poaching and address the problem of stray animals from Kidepo Valley National Park, which has endangered lives and property in the surrounding areas.
To foster long-term peace, the Committee recommended continued government support for peace dialogues in Karamoja, vocational training for the Karachuna youth, and funds for desilting key dams, such as Morungole and Longoromit, to ensure water access and reduce conflicts over grazing land.
