Africa-Press – Uganda. President Museveni has the Kenyan government is set to compensate Uganda for the three geologists and two UPDF soldiers killed by Turkana warriors in 2022.
He said the function will be held in Moroto early next year and is to be attended by Kenyan President, William Ruto.
“The Turkana still have a debt as must compensate the lives of people they killed. I told President Ruto if these criminals don’t have money Kenyan government must pay,” Museveni said.
“The Kenyan government will pay for the lives of those killed. After elections I will perform ceremony with President Ruto in Moroto for the Kenyan government to pay for lives of our people who died and elders to cleanse blood of the people who died. The bishops and sheikhs will also come in and contribute.”
Museveni was on Tuesday speaking during a rally at Kalas Girls Primary School grounds in Amudat district.
In March 2022, Turkana warriors from Kenya shot dead three geologists from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and two UPDF soldiers who were guarding them in an incident that happened at Kubebe area, Lokisilei Parish in Lotisan Subcounty Moroto District.
The geologists were on mineral mapping exercise in the area when they were attacked by the warriors who also took away the two guns owned by the UPDF soldiers.
The Turkana warriors later ran back to Kenya.
President Museveni in 2023 through an executive order, asked the Kenyan government to handover to Uganda the warriors to Uganda for trial over murder, or in the alternative, organize a blood settlement to the families of the deceased geologists and UPDF soldiers but warned its should not be the traditional one of a few cows.
Speaking on Tuesday, President Museveni said Uganda couldn’t allow the matter be swept under the carpet.
“You know Banyankole believe a little bit in law of Moses. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. If you kill a member of our clan, we must also pay revenge. If you don’t want revenge, you come and we have blood settlement,” he said, receiving ululation from the crowd in Amudat.
He said whereas previously, Turkana warriors were allowed into Uganda to graze their cattle, since the 2022 incident, he directed that none of them ever be allowed on Ugandan soli.
Museveni insisted that disarming Karamoja was a wise move since it has created peace in the region.
“I couldn’t accept this impunity of criminality. We now have peace, not only in Karamoja but in west Nile, Northern Uganda which borders South Sudan, Rwenzori mountains and Kisoro which border DR Congo. There is peace everywhere,” he said.
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