President Museveni Tasks Kenya to Handover Turkana Herders Accused of Killing Ugandan Geologists
President Museveni has asked Kenya authorities to hand over Turkana herders accused of killing three Ugandan geologists for trial in Uganda.
In an 18-page Executive Order, Museveni gave Kenya an ultimatum of six months to hand over the said criminals or Kenyan Turkanas will be exiled from Uganda permanently with their cattle.
“Long ago, I ordered these Turkanas to never bring guns into Uganda. They should just come and graze their cattle minus being armed.
“They, however, did not listen to this. Instead, they raided our disarmed Karimonjong, killed people, raped them, etc. They are said to have raided 2245 cattle from the Jie. They killed our 3 (three), Geologists, 1 (one) Officer and a soldier, that were guarding them. I now direct that this Turkana nonsense must stop,” Museveni said in a statement .
He added that, “The killers of the geologists must be handed to us for trial for murder. The guns were handed back to the government of Uganda, but not the killers.”
“I give the Turkana population, six months to implement my directives. If, however, the issue of the guns illegally entering Uganda, the hand-over of the criminals who killed our Geologists or the use of traditional justice and the return of the stolen cattle, are not resolved, I will have no alternative but to expel all the Kenyan Turkanas and their cattle and they will never be allowed to re-enter Uganda with their cattle,” Museveni continued.
He further warned that any Turkana pastoralist crossing to Uganda with a gun will be charged with terrorism by the court martial.
Three geologists who were identified as Edna Musiime, an intern from Makerere University, Richard Kiggwwe, the lead geologist and Charles Olweny – both from the ministry of energy and mineral development were murdered by suspected Turkana pastoralists alongside their two UPDF escorts on March 21, 2022 in Moroto as they conducted mineral mapping in the area.
Their translator reportedly tried to explain to the armed warriors about their mission in the area but the warriors, probably out of lack of information opened fire, killing all five in cold blood. The translator escaped with an injury to the stomach.
In the same executive order, President Museveni banned tree cutting for commercial charcoal production and expelled Balaalo herdsmen in Northern Uganda.
