The conflict management system in Karamoja: An assessment of strengths and weaknesses

This report explores the effectiveness of the conflict management system in northern Uganda’s remote Karamoja region. The authors identify formal government and customary actors responsible for managing conflict in Karamoja and the strengths and weakness in the way in which these actors work together to prevent, resolve, and respond to conflict. Amongst other findings, the assessment found that: conflict management is more effective where traditional leaders are engaged and where formal and customary authorities collaborate however, this collaboration is frequently undermined by poor communication between conflict management actors, lack of knowledge of the roles that different actors play in managing conflict, and lack of respect for the value added by elders. The report concludes with specific recommendations to remedy these weaknesses.