news 29 June 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Waragi Smuggler's Downfall Leads to Recovery of Cross-Border Illegal Gun
A local illicit gin smuggler, Lomong Losialim, inadvertently led security forces to recover an AK-47 rifle after using his smuggling routes and local potent gin to acquire the weapon from Kenyan warriors. This recovery is part of a broader ongoing effort to disarm the Karamoja region. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/how-local-waragi-smuggler-led-security-to-recover-cross-border-illegal-gun-5512852
Security forces in Uganda’s Karamoja sub-region have successfully recovered an AK-47 Submachine Gun (SMG) in Kotido District, thanks to intelligence gathered on a local businessman involved in smuggling illicit alcohol. The recovered firearm was seized from Lomong Losialim, a resident of Lobongia Village.
According to Mr. Mike Longole, the Mt. Moroto Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) public relations officer, Losialim used his established business network, which involves supplying large quantities of illicit “waragi” (local potent gin) to Western Kenya, to infiltrate an armed group. Reports indicate that he allegedly traded his potent gin for the rifle with Kenyan warriors.
Infiltrating the group, Losialim is suspected of stealing the rifle from warriors in Turkana, Kenya, before returning to Kotido. He is accused of subsequently using the firearm to terrorize local communities. Joint security forces, a collaboration between the Uganda Police Force and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), tracked Losialim down based on actionable intelligence, leading to his arrest and the retrieval of the weapon.
This incident is a small, yet significant, part of a larger security operation. Over the past six years, security forces have recovered approximately 1,445 illegal firearms from various armed groups operating across the greater Karamoja region. The ongoing efforts aim to dismantle criminal syndicates involved in cattle rustling, armed robberies, and illicit arms trafficking, ultimately seeking to restore lasting peace to the area.
Recently, on June 18, 2026, security forces also disarmed another individual, Loware Acholiba, in Maaru Sub-county, Kotido District. Acholiba and his associates are believed to be part of a notorious criminal network with links to several districts and activities including armed robberies and illegal poaching.
Security agencies have reassured the public that these intelligence-led disarmament operations are continuing with the aim of eradicating remaining criminal networks in the sub-region.
This story was reported by the Daily Monitor.