Community agrees to pay 250 cattle to Ugandan families

Turkana Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai speaks during a past event at Lokiriama border point. [Lucas Ngasike, Standard]

Leaders and elders from Turkana have agreed to pay 250 cows to families of five Ugandans killed last year in Moroto, Uganda.

The gesture is also aimed at restoring peace between various communities living at the border.

The decision is part of agreements, dubbed the Moroto Declaration, that were made following two-day negotiations between the Turkana and Karamojong communities in Moroto.

Turkana Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai and Uganda's Energy Minister Peter Lokeris, who chaired the meeting, further agreed to have joint water, health and road projects along the border.

The resolutions read by Governor Lomorukai on behalf of delegates from the two countries placed importance on the restoration of peace.

"We have agreed on an alternative option of compensation by payment of 250 cattle to the families of the victims of the killings in Uganda as a show of remorse. This is also aimed to restore good relationship with our neighbours," said the resolutions announced on Saturday.

"The community has agreed to mobilize the cattle, which will be delivered as soon as possible."

The meeting made a formal appeal to President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda to pardon 40 Turkana herders arrested in connection with the killings.

The incident compelled President Museveni to issue Executive Order Number 3, 2023, ordering Turkana herders and their livestock out of Uganda.

"Leaders from Turkana have assured their Karamojong counterparts that Turkana pastoralists will not cross to Uganda with arms as ordered by President Museveni," the meeting resolved.

The resolutions would be shared with Museveni and his Kenyan counterpart, William Ruto, for action.

Additionally, the two pastoralist communities pledged to kick-start initiatives that would restore trade between them.

"Leaders from Turkana and Karamojong have engaged constructively in resolving issues that caused President Museveni to issue an executive order," Lomorukai said.

Turkana County Assembly Speaker Christopher Nakuleu said sharing of intelligence between Kenya and Uganda will reduce crime.

Nakuleu said modalities of grazing should be formulated to facilitate the cross-border sharing of resources.

"All firearms must be surrendered at the border because there is no law that allows anyone to travel to another country with a gun," said the Speaker.

Turkana Woman Rep Cecilia Ngitit welcomed the resolutions, saying they would allow the resumption of peaceful sharing of pasture and water.

"We are going to abide by all the resolutions. We are only urging the Ugandan government to humanely and release the Kenyan detainees," said Ngitit.

She described the resolutions as a breakthrough in the search for peace.