The Presidential candidate for the National Resistance Movement party, General Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has given a directive to the Uganda Wildlife Authority to allow pastoralists in Nakapiripirit district and Karamoja at large to graze on a portion of the Pian-Upe conservation area.
This decision came after a request from Daniel Ochap Matovu, the NRM chairperson for Nakapiripirit district.
He had reported the Uganda Wildlife Authority for preventing pastoralist from grazing in the conservation area.
Matovu sought a waiver to allow the locals to utilize part of the land for grazing, as well as other requests.
Museveni made this announcement during a campaign rally at Naturum Village – Namboole 2 trading center in Nakapiripirit district.
He also added that the elders in the area will be trained in modern farming techniques and educated on the importance of wildlife conservation.
Furthermore, Museveni stressed the danger of allowing locals in Nakapiripirit district, and Karamoja sub-region as a whole, to own guns.
He believes that this would only lead to increased criminality and endless killings.
The people of Nakapiripirit district can rest assured that the government will continue to protect them from attacks by the Pokot and Turkanas from Kenya, as emphasized by Museveni.
Museveni promised more major economic infrastructural developments for Nakapiripirit district, on top of the ongoing construction of a 93km highway from Mbale to Muyembe.
He highlighted the significant progress in economic infrastructure in the district, including roads, electricity, and access to water through boreholes and water dams, which cover 80% of the district.
Museveni then promised to see the through the completion of an 11.8 billion litre irrigation scheme to irrigate over 700 hectares of land among other initiatives.
