In pursuit of my passion – to see young women and men taking Uganda to another level; I set out to Karamoja-a region in North Eastern Uganda known for many challenges but mostly for its unique and strong culture. Karamoja includes the old districts of Moroto and Kotido and more recently, the newly created districts of Kaabong, Abim and Nakapiripirit. I dream of such a day when every Ugandan would be able to afford basic necessities and not live in the extremities of lack- that is the story of Karamoja. Karamoja has two sides to it: a side that has been known to be the worst to her neighbors, the Iteso, Langi, Acholi and Bagisu and on the boarders to Kenya. Decades of cattle rustling have made Karimojong the sworn enemies of their immediate neighbors. On the other hand the Karimojong are people that stand out for their resiliency- despite the grave challenges they have of extreme poverty, lack and desperation; they ‘survive’ alongside these challenges and many Ugandans live in oblivion of the situation of Karimojong.
I have always wanted to contribute to the transformation of this part of the country even if is by just placing one block to a building being constructed or other ongoing work to transform the region. The opportunities are always presented and this particular opportunity came through a small programme supported by Youth Action for Change Forgotten Diaries project. Forgotten Diaries is a project that is trying to document stories of young people in conflict areas that are often unheard of and unknown to the world. The Karamoja conflict has been overshadowed by the Lord’s Resistance Army rebel conflict that has had engulfed Northern Uganda for more than 20 decades. Little is still known of the challenges that these Ugandans live in even by Ugandans themselves. When this opportunity came, I jumped at it heading straight to Karamoja to document the stories of young people in a remote village of Nabual. Deep in my heart I know, that the future lies with young women and men of this region. If only young people can see the world in another perspective, then, we would be able to see a different Karamoja and a Ugandan very soon.
I travelled to Nabual village, in Iririr Sub County in Moroto district with the objective of conducting a peace campaign and particularly meeting with young people of this area and share with them on leadership. The journey took two days with a stopover in Mbale because I missed the only bus that would leave straight from Kampala to my destination. Iriirir Sub county is blessed with some of the most fertile land in Karamoja particularly Nabaul where I was headed. Nabual is home of Karimojong settlers from the Pian and Bokora clans and border Katakwi and Amuria district to the East. There have been inter clan conflicts between the Pian (Nakapiripirit) and Bokora (Moroto) for several generations and these conflicts have consisted of cattle rustling, theft and many killings over time. On the other hand, the Karimojong have also attacked their neighbours in Katakwi and Amuria district causing a lot of havoc which resulted into the displacement of people in these districts into camps. These ethnic conflicts have resulted in chronic poverty among the affected people and also hampering other economic activities in Karamoja and its neighbours.
The recent government disarmament programme and continuous sensitization of the natives on the need for them to settle and engage in productive life other than nomadic life and cattle rustling has born some fruit. There is now, relative peace and security in the region with fewer theft, ambushes and killings happening. This has attracted families to settle and even consider the life of settled agriculture rather than nomadic movements. The lives of Karimojong especially the youth are now at croos roads as they seek to redirect their lives to something else other than cattle rustling which had pre occupied the young men of this region.
I have always wanted to contribute to the transformation of this part of the country even if is by just placing one block to a building being constructed or other ongoing work to transform the region. The opportunities are always presented and this particular opportunity came through a small programme supported by Youth Action for Change Forgotten Diaries project. Forgotten Diaries is a project that is trying to document stories of young people in conflict areas that are often unheard of and unknown to the world. The Karamoja conflict has been overshadowed by the Lord’s Resistance Army rebel conflict that has had engulfed Northern Uganda for more than 20 decades. Little is still known of the challenges that these Ugandans live in even by Ugandans themselves. When this opportunity came, I jumped at it heading straight to Karamoja to document the stories of young people in a remote village of Nabual. Deep in my heart I know, that the future lies with young women and men of this region. If only young people can see the world in another perspective, then, we would be able to see a different Karamoja and a Ugandan very soon.
I travelled to Nabual village, in Iririr Sub County in Moroto district with the objective of conducting a peace campaign and particularly meeting with young people of this area and share with them on leadership. The journey took two days with a stopover in Mbale because I missed the only bus that would leave straight from Kampala to my destination. Iriirir Sub county is blessed with some of the most fertile land in Karamoja particularly Nabaul where I was headed. Nabual is home of Karimojong settlers from the Pian and Bokora clans and border Katakwi and Amuria district to the East. There have been inter clan conflicts between the Pian (Nakapiripirit) and Bokora (Moroto) for several generations and these conflicts have consisted of cattle rustling, theft and many killings over time. On the other hand, the Karimojong have also attacked their neighbours in Katakwi and Amuria district causing a lot of havoc which resulted into the displacement of people in these districts into camps. These ethnic conflicts have resulted in chronic poverty among the affected people and also hampering other economic activities in Karamoja and its neighbours.
The recent government disarmament programme and continuous sensitization of the natives on the need for them to settle and engage in productive life other than nomadic life and cattle rustling has born some fruit. There is now, relative peace and security in the region with fewer theft, ambushes and killings happening. This has attracted families to settle and even consider the life of settled agriculture rather than nomadic movements. The lives of Karimojong especially the youth are now at croos roads as they seek to redirect their lives to something else other than cattle rustling which had pre occupied the young men of this region.
‘There is hope for Karamoja. One day, we shall overcome all the challenges
we face in Karamoja but only when we work ourselves to provide solutions to
improve our conditions. Nobody is going to change Karamoja except if
Karimojong themselves do so and the task lies in you young people’Monicah Amoding, Girls2Leaders Movement.
I met with about 30 young men aged 16-35 years resident in Nabual village. I got to hear the challenges that young people in this village face and shared with them how they can participate in promoting peace and developing their community. I shared with them that the young generation of Karamoja has an important role to play in solving the problems that Karamoja is facing.
The young men noted that hunger affects every Karimojong family, but young people are more affected than the elders, because the burden to feed their families is now falling on young people, who have to go and do casual work or business in trading centres to be able bring back food to their families. Due the chronic famine, young people have had to go to towns where they find themselves jobless and beggars on the streets in towns like Busia on the border to Karimoja, Mbale, Tororo, and Kampala in search for food and income for their families. What they get in town, they bring back home to support their impoverished families. They also noted that because they no longer go raiding, they have found themselves very idle with nothing to keep them busy and as a result many young people now spend a lot of their time idling in trading centres in search for local brew. Music at such times has proved to the most important social event for these young people.
I emphasized that young people are the leaders of today and tomorrow and that means that the present and the future ultimately belongs to them. By helping their families put food on the table, they are minimizing hunger in their homes and they are reducing the potential of conflict in their communities over food and other resources. By preventing the occurrence of conflict in their communities, they are also assuring themselves of a better future. I also urged them to engage in productive activities that can earn them and their families an income to avoid engaging in illegal activities in which they can get killed. I also asked them to be role models to other young people in other villages by not engaging in cattle rustling and also reporting any other people who engage in this activity emphasizing tolerance and love towards other young people from other clans and neighboring districts to Karamoja.
The young men noted that hunger affects every Karimojong family, but young people are more affected than the elders, because the burden to feed their families is now falling on young people, who have to go and do casual work or business in trading centres to be able bring back food to their families. Due the chronic famine, young people have had to go to towns where they find themselves jobless and beggars on the streets in towns like Busia on the border to Karimoja, Mbale, Tororo, and Kampala in search for food and income for their families. What they get in town, they bring back home to support their impoverished families. They also noted that because they no longer go raiding, they have found themselves very idle with nothing to keep them busy and as a result many young people now spend a lot of their time idling in trading centres in search for local brew. Music at such times has proved to the most important social event for these young people.
I emphasized that young people are the leaders of today and tomorrow and that means that the present and the future ultimately belongs to them. By helping their families put food on the table, they are minimizing hunger in their homes and they are reducing the potential of conflict in their communities over food and other resources. By preventing the occurrence of conflict in their communities, they are also assuring themselves of a better future. I also urged them to engage in productive activities that can earn them and their families an income to avoid engaging in illegal activities in which they can get killed. I also asked them to be role models to other young people in other villages by not engaging in cattle rustling and also reporting any other people who engage in this activity emphasizing tolerance and love towards other young people from other clans and neighboring districts to Karamoja.
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