- Museveni, in an Executive Order released this year, gave conditions for the release of the Turkana herders
- Lomorukai said seven of the herders, who were juveniles will be released soon
Image: HESBORN ETYANG
Turkana county will pay compensation demanded by Uganda, as reparation for five Ugandans killed in Karamoja in 2022, Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai has said.
He said the county will procure livestock which will be used as "blood settlement" demanded by President Yoweri Museveni.
Lomorukai said this is a traditional form of resolution of the conflict which resulted from the murder of three geologists and two UPDF soldiers in March 2022 by unknown people.
Uganda authorities later arrested 32 Turkana herders, who were sentenced to 20 years in prison after they were found guilty of being in possession of illegal firearms and ammunition.
Museveni, in an Executive Order released this year, gave conditions for the release of the Turkana herders.
"President Museveni has asked that we pay compensation for the Ugandans who were killed. We are engaging to find funds to purchase heads of cattle to pay the compensation," he said.
The governor said talks to resolve the conflict with Uganda must involve the county and representatives of the national government.
He said President William Ruto had promised Turkana leaders that he will secure the release of the herders when they sought help from him.
Lomorukai said seven of the herders, who were juveniles will be released soon.
Turkana County Assembly Speaker Christopher Nakuleu said the matter will be resolved and pastoralists will be allowed to return to Uganda for pasture.
The 32 Turkana residents were arrested on April 8 at Nadunget, 50km from Moroto during an operation by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces and police.
That joint operation led to the arrest of 129 suspects.
The 32 were convicted on their own pleas of guilt in a court session presided over by the 3rd Division Court Martial chairman, Colonel Bernard Tuhame.
The convicts, all from Orum, Loima constituency in Turkana, were allegedly found in possession of 31 guns, 752 rounds of ammunition, 19 bows and arrows.
President Museveni asked the Kenya government to hand over to Uganda Turkana kilometers accused of killing three geologists and two UPDF soldiers in the restive Karamoja region in March 2022.
The 18-page Executive Order made public on Wednesday, said that any Turkana pastoralists crossing to Uganda with a gun will be charged with terrorism.
In March 2022, security forces in Moroto District in the mineral-rich sub-region in North Eastern Uganda recovered five bodies belonging to three geologists attached to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and two Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers who were attacked by suspected cattle rustlers.