KARAMOJA, Uganda — President Yoweri Museveni has praised the people of Karamoja for preserving their cultural identity while embracing development, saying the region’s traditional values should remain an important part of its future.

Museveni made the remarks while joining the people of Karamoja at the Karamoja Cultural Festival, where he congratulated the community for celebrating its culture and identity.

The President also thanked the people of Karamoja for what he described as their massive support for the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) during the elections.

Museveni said the government’s decision to disarm Karamoja was necessary to address insecurity and killings associated with the widespread possession of firearms.

He particularly commended women in the region for their role in the disarmament exercise, saying they helped authorities recover more than 41,000 guns.

According to the President, the presence of guns had contributed to murder and insecurity in Karamoja, making disarmament an important step towards restoring peace and stability.

Museveni urged the people of Karamoja to preserve the positive aspects of their traditional culture, particularly discipline and strong family values, while abandoning practices that are no longer beneficial to society.

“We must preserve our identity while embracing development and a modern way of life,” Museveni said.

The President’s message comes as Karamoja continues to undergo social and economic transformation following years of insecurity linked to cattle raiding, armed violence and the proliferation of illegal firearms.

Museveni said cultural preservation and development should not be viewed as competing objectives, but rather as complementary elements in building a peaceful and prosperous Karamoja.

He encouraged the people of the region to maintain the values that strengthen their communities while supporting efforts aimed at improving livelihoods, security and integration into Uganda’s broader development agenda.