The month of August 2015 was a month of great significance for Karamoja region and its neighbors. Two peace meetings took place from August 17 to 21 and August 27 to 29 in Moroto and Kidepo Valley National Park respectively.
The meetings, which were conducted separately, were held under the theme: The Rennaisance of Karamoja: Karamoja Ecumenical peace convocation and ‘Cross Boarder Peace Dialogue Meeting’.
The Karamoja Convocation in Moroto was convened by the bishops of the churches in the Karamoja Sub Region including Rt. Rev. Damiano Guzzetti of Moroto diocese, Rt. Rev. Giuseppe Filippi of Kotido diocese, Rt. Rev. Joseph Abura of Karamoja diocese, Rt. Rev. James Nasak of North Karamoja diocese and Rt. Rev. George Omara of Pentecostal Assemblies of God Karamoja region. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni was the Chief Guest and he was accompanied by the First Lady Janet Museveni, who is also the Minister for Karamoja affairs.
Also in attendance were Ministers, Members of Parliament, Civil and Political leaders from all the seven districts of Karamoja. The main facilitator was Rev. Bishop Joshua Lwere of Grace Assembly based in Old Kampala The convocation attracted participants from all the different ethnic groups in Karamoja. Representatives of the Dodoth, the Ik, the Jie, the Labwor, the Bokora, the Matheniko, the Tepes, the Pian and the Pokot tribes took part actively through songs, dances and drama. Delegates from neighboring regions and countries notably the Iteso, the Sabiny, the Langi, the Acholi, the Turkana and people from
South Sudan were also present.
In his sermon Bishop Lwere said, “There is need to consolidate the current prevailing peace and stability in the region and to accelerate development as a vehicle for launching the rebirth of a new Karamoja.”
He added that the process entailed the need to make the convocation a moment of communal repentance for the violence meted out against fellow Karimojong and their neighbors. He called upon the people of Karamoja to seek for God’s forgiveness and from all the neighboring districts most of which have over the years borne the brunt of Karimojong acts of violence.
In his speech President Museveni dwelt on various issues such as importance of peace, land, infrastructure, and food security among others. The high moment came when he put his signature to a final declaration in which he pronounced Karamoja as peaceful, free and open to development before going ahead to unveil a huge wooden plague of the map of the new Karamoja. Meanwhile, all the bishops from Karamoja also signed on the same declaration.
The two meetings also reviewed previous resolutions and resolved to implement some of them as soon as possible as a way of promoting peace along the common border of Uganda and South Sudan.
By Msgr. Philip Lokel (Vicar General – Kotido diocese); UEC; NEW CONTACT August-September 2015 ISSUE 6 VOL 3
