Kotido District, Uganda: Two residents of Lokitelaebu Town Council in Kotido District have voluntarily surrendered illegal firearms and ammunition to the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) in a move authorities say signals growing community cooperation with government peace efforts in Karamoja.
The firearms and five rounds of ammunition were handed over on Saturday to the Kotido Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Charles Ichogor, following intelligence indicating that armed youth were willing to benefit from the government’s amnesty programme.
The weapons were surrendered by Lomur Koki of Dapabwala Village and Loila John, both residents of Lokitelaebu Town Council. The handover was witnessed by members of the area peace committee, local elders and area councillor Cecilia Dodoi.
RDC Ichogor commended the two youth for voluntarily handing over the firearms, describing the act as a positive step toward restoring lasting peace and stability in Kotido District and the wider Karamoja sub-region.
“This shows that our message on peace and voluntary disarmament is being understood at community level,” Ichogor said.
Speaking during the handover, Lomur Koki said he acquired the firearm in 2024 for self-defence after his father, Lomoe Longole, was placed on a security wanted list and later imprisoned over offences related to illegal possession of firearms.
Koki said he later used the gun for hunting wild animals before burying it earlier this year to avoid detection, eventually deciding to surrender it to authorities under the amnesty arrangement.
A reformed youth, Lopua Louro, who witnessed the exercise, urged other young people still holding illegal firearms to follow the example and hand over their weapons for the sake of peace and community stability.
RDC Ichogor said his office, working with the District Community-Based Services Department, will profile the youth who surrendered the firearms to enable them benefit from government livelihood and poverty alleviation programmes, including the Parish Development Model (PDM).
District authorities noted that at least five firearms were recovered in Kotido in November alone through voluntary disarmament, even as security agencies continue to monitor intelligence reports of renewed rearmament attempts in parts of Karamoja.
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