An estimated 30,000 Turkana pastoralists have fled their drought stricken region in Kenya and entered Uganda. Most of them have pitched camp with their animals in Kotido, Kaabong and Moroto districts to search for pasture and water.
Lucas Lokuruka, a Kenyan chief for Lokiriama Location, Loima district in Eastern Kenya said on Thursday that the pastoralists are moving with more 150,000 animals. The animals include goats, cattle, donkeys, camels and sheep.
The prolonged drought in the Kenyan Eastern region has forced people to migrate to Southern Sudan and parts of eastern Uganda.
Lokuruka says he expects a mass exodus of more Turkana pastoralists into Uganda, because shallow wells in the region have dried up due to the prolonged drought.
He identified some of the worst hit areas as Urumu, Lorengikipi, Lokiriama and Oropoi.
Ekeno Mika, one of the pastoralists says he lost over 30 animals within a space of less than 4 months and that others were getting weaker.
Ekeno explains they received rain in June last year. He said for the past successive years the rainfall pattern has affected the pastoralism activities in Turkana region.
Ekeno asked the Uganda government to allow them stay and look after their starving animals.
Captain Deo Akiiki, the 3rd division army spokesperson says the pastoralists numbering between 25, 000 and 30, 000 are scattered in the jungles across the border lines of Moroto, Kaabong and Kotido of Uganda and kenya.
Nahaman Ojwe, the Moroto Resident District Commissioner however warned them against moving with guns. Ojwe asked the Turkana pastoralists to promote peaceful co-existence in Uganda.
In 2010, at least 18,000 Turkana pastoralists were forced to migrate into Uganda with their dwindling herds and since they have never returned home.
However, the Uganda government cautioned them against carrying their illegal guns into the country arguing that the UPDF would offer protection.
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