Kotido’s ‘no oxen to attach on yokes’ protest ends unproductive

Kotido RDC: “I am in talking terms with the security team from Kaabong to return the recovered animals of the Kotido people back.”

Kotido – January 18, 2022: Residents and farmers of Kotido north division had a peaceful protest on Monday specifically to draw the attention of the leaders they elected.

The protestors said they lost almost all their cattle (oxen) to suspected warriors from Kaabong and had no oxen for ploughing this year.

The majority of them were from Losilang in the North division. They marched through Kotido town while carrying yokes and chanting the name of the LC 5 chairperson, Komol Peter Lotee.

While campaigning for election, Lotee promised to “jealously protect their cattle” but voters (Monday protestors) said he has shown them a blind eye as their cattle vanish.

All yokes they carried were dumped in front of the LC 5 chairperson’s office after he failed to appear to respond to his people’s concerns.

“The first rain has started falling yet we don’t have oxen for ploughing because we have lost all in the raids neither do we have money for hiring tractors,” one protestor said and was an affirmation by his colleagues.

“We don’t have use of them because we have lost all the cows, all the bulls that we would tie those yokes on.”

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Kotido RDC, Ambrose Onoria soon arrived to calm the situation. He said, “I am in talking terms with the security team from Kaabong to return the recovered animals of the Kotido people back.”

Lokwii Francis Losigiara, kraal leader of the affected kraal said the government should not return the army because they have failed in their role of protecting their cattle.

On behalf of the farmers and residents, Lokwii also demanded that the land they offered for setting up army barracks should now be given back to them for proper use. 

“The soldiers seem not to be well trained because the raiders steal cattle even in their presence,” he stated.

A kraal located in the North division is protected by the army and has a barrack (500 meters away). It was having over 1,000 cows, 1,000 goats and sheep.

On December 18 2021 and December 23 2021 it was raided. The most recent and third raid happened on January 13 2022. The kraal is now empty!