KARAMOJA, UGANDA: Investors have started withdrawing from mining sites in Karamoja citing increased insecurity in the region. Karamoja has experienced intensified unrest in the past months despite the disarmament exercise and security raids against suspected warriors.
The Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) has admitted to killing at least 385 warriors in Karamoja since the beginning of their operations last year although local authorities say the numbers are way higher than the official figures.
Mohamed Ali, the director of African Leg Investment dealing in excavating limestone in Moroto, says that he decided to withdraw his workers from the Kosiroi mining site due to persisting attacks by the warriors.
“We are not safe in Karamoja, I will resume work when the situation normalizes,” he said.
Patrick Musingusi from Harms Investment, which deals in gold mining in Lopedo in Kaabong district, says that he decided to suspend his activities when armed rustlers took over the structure he had constructed for his workers.
“I have closed my site because the lives of my workers are not safe the situation is not good,” he said.
Arnold Ananura from Samit Group Ltd which deals in marble stones in Moroto said he has abandoned his site because the situation is unbearable.
“I have abandoned my site and my workers are in Moroto town because the same area where we work, is the same place where three geologists were killed by armed warriors in March,” he said.
Charles Karoli of Leadway Uganda Ltd which deals in marble mining in the Rupa sub-county, says that their plan to construct a stone crushing plant for marble stones has stalled.
“We were in the process of constructing a crushing plant for marble but honestly the situation has failed us. We are stuck with the equipment,” he said.
Karoli appeals to the government to ensure that the current insecurity in the region is brought to the end to allow for investments to take place. Jino Meri, the Kaabong district LC V chairperson, says that most of the sub-counties that have been relying on revenue collected through mineral transportation are down.
Mohamed Ismail, the mayor of Moroto Municipality, says that they have registered an influx of street beggars most of them have been flushed from the mining sites in Rupa sub-county.
“I’m worried of burglary hitting the municipality because we are receiving people including children who have been surviving from mining they are now all begging in the municipality streets which is dangerous,” he said.
Joseph Lokut, a resident of Rupa sub-county in Moroto district, says that the rustlers have now turned to looting and killing people because there are no more animals to raid.
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