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Patriotic students in Napak district have been urged to contribute to the peace building process and avoid being recruited in cattle rustling activities.
This was stated on Friday at the graduation ceremony for 716 students who underwent two weeks of training. The students came from all secondary and tertiary institutions such as Kangole Girls Secondary School, St Andrew’s Secondary School, Napak Seed School, St Daniel Comboni Secondary School and Moroto Technical College.
The students were urged to advocate for the cause of peacebuilding and fight against insecurity that has hampered several development plans in the sub-region.
Speaking to Patriot, Lt. Col. Maurice Twengerwe, the Training and Operations Officer of the 403 Brigade of the Uganda People’s Defence Force, said the fighters have started recruiting students who they know are in dire need of pocket money for school.
Twenjayiwe said most of the students were lured into the crime and therefore urged them to desist from the act to avoid becoming cattle robbers.
Twenjayiwe observed that several students fell in the ambush by security operatives while others were killed in the attack.
The latest killing took place in October last year when a senior student of Arengesiep Secondary School in Nabilatuk District was shot dead by security forces during an anti-cattle rustling operation in Napak District. The deceased was operating with 13 other fighters armed with four guns.
He said it was very sad to see learners surviving in such an embarrassing way instead of concentrating on their studies and getting decent jobs to make a difference in the community.
Twongyeirwe warned students against alcohol abuse, noting that it would lead young people to join bad peer groups. He also called on youths in the area to embrace safe recruitment to reduce unemployment.
Twenyelwe noted that they were disappointed by the low number of Karamojong youths who had recently joined the military.
The Bokolasi County MP for the Napak District, John Bosco Ngoya, said students can make the most difference in the community because they have more opportunities in front of them.
He noted that security is the backbone of Karamoja’s development and should be made a priority in its transformation.
Ngoya encouraged students to love themselves and their country as a starting point for the peacebuilding agenda.
Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs Florence Nambozo encouraged students to study hard in order to achieve their dreams and make a difference in society.
Nnambozo urged the government to address water scarcity, which she said was partly to blame for insecurity, observing that herders were moving around in search of water, which led to conflict over sharing of the resource.
Nnambozo urged the students to spread the gospel of peaceful coexistence and avoid group discrimination that has divided the Karamojong community.
Nnambozo also urged parents to send all their children to school to prevent them from being recruited by fighters to steal cattle.
She noted that Karamoja needs concerted efforts to address challenges such as poverty, hunger, insecurity and illiteracy affecting the community.
In a related development, at least 600 students from secondary schools in Moroto and Napak districts have been trained in emergency response.
This is to enrich students with the basic knowledge of survival in various situations in life, including disasters and human factors, wilderness and domestic environments.
The one-day training held at the Moroto Core Primary Teachers College attracted 06 secondary schools such as Moroto Senior High School, Nadunget SS, Moroto Patents SS, Jesus Apostles SS, Rupa Seed SS in Moroto County and Kangole Girls in Napak. The training included tent setting, rope use, mountaineering and personal defence techniques.
The country’s chief Scouting coordinator, Patrick Iriama, explained that this training model is vital for the safety of all students in difficult situations.
Iriyama called on the Ugandan government through the Ministry of Education to allocate a budget to promote the program.
He called on school heads to take Scout clubs seriously so that students have a platform to hone their skills and for sponsors to be close to students and provide them with guidance.
Moses Lokol, a student of Moroto Senior High School, welcomed the training, claiming it would help protect him from any possible attacks.
Lockor said if the community needs support, he will use his skills, such as setting up tents, to help.
He noted that the defensive skills acquired will protect him in any danger encountered at school.
Gloria Nakong, a student at Kangol Girls’ Secondary School, said she has learnt tactical self-defence skills.
Ms Nakon urged the government to consider extending the skills training programme to the entire school to benefit all students, saying it would help address the damage to schools during the fires.
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