The President of Karamoja Peace and Technology University (KAPATU) project, also the Bishop of Kotido Catholic Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dominic Eibu MCCJ, together with the Deputy Vice Chancellor-Academic Affairs Prof. Annette Deborah Kezaabu, have visited Namejio Community Kraal School (NACOKS) and Akurun Akaalam monument, both iconic facilities located at Lomukura village in Kotido Municipality. The visit took place yesterday, 21st November 2025, ahead of Sunday’s Thanksgiving and unveiling of the KAPATU Project.
NACOKS is an informal learning centre for Karimojong children who have not yet enrolled for formal education because they are herding cows. The school sits next to ‘Akurun Akaalam’, a monument that was unveiled by the First Lady and now Minister for Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni, on 4th November 2003. The monument commemorates the unearthing of the Pen and the Book; educational tools that were decades ago buried by angry elders blaming them for causing untold misery to the community.
The story of the buried Pen and Book dates back to the colonial era. It was reported that the colonialists, faced with wars back in Europe, would come to Karamoja and conscript energetic sons to be taken to fight foreign wars. The story further goes that whenever they came, those colonialists possessed a pen and a book, which they used to record the names of the conscripts, but unfortunately, none of those youths ever returned home.
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According to Pte Lopeyo John Kay, the caretaker of this site and also a volunteer teacher at NACOKS, the colonialists kept coming for more youths before even accounting for the batches they already took, something which rattled the elders.
Eventually, he explained, they decided to bury the pen and the book, blaming them for causing deaths and disasters in the community.
“This was a church of the elders. An elder wondered why their sons were dying. They blamed the pen and the book for this; that’s why they buried them here,” Lopeyo narrated.
However, some of the parents decided to take their children to Moroto to study, and they returned with a good story about education. Soon, one of those who had studied up to S.4 applied for a job as a Bank manager, a position he was granted.
Unfortunately, according to the legend, the man died immediately after getting the job.
Puzzled, the elders returned to their usual shrine where the monument sits, to consult on what the problem was and its source.
“We heard that you buried a pen and a book. That’s our light. Can you unbury them?” The elders, according to Lapeyo, were told something they immediately did while performing rituals, including sacrificing bulls at the same site as they asked for forgiveness.
Lapeyo said that this marked the beginning of the story of taking children to school. He said the community also decided to put up a school next to this monument to act as a training ground for Karamojong children who are still at home herding cows.
However, in spite of hosting about 100 children of different age brackets, the school is not officially recognized, neither does it have the required school infrastructure.
“We lack a latrine, a shade and buildings. We also don’t have seats and children sit on logs. We also don’t have food and required scholastic materials like books” he explained, adding that the school acts as a centre for preparing children for primary school, especially those herding cows.
During the visit, the children performed a poem entitled ‘Education for Peace, The Time Is Now’. They also performed a folk song expressing their desire to learn.
Meanwhile, Bishop Eibu observed the need to support this school, noting its important role in changing the mindset of children who are still trapped at home keeping animals. He said as a matter of urgency, the Diocese is planning to set up a latrine to improve on sanitation.
He also called for support from well-wishers to set up a 3-classroom block.
“As the Diocese, we had planned to construct a latrine here in July, but we suspended this task because of the rains. I have also implored them to make BoQs so that we can launch a campaign among the parents, Local Governments, and other well-wishers so that next year, we get something here,” he said.
He likened the Unearthing of the Pen and the Book to Jesus’ resurrection story from the dead.
“This monument tells us a lot, given the fact that KAPATU is coming to Karamoja. It aligns very well with the story of the chick emerging from the shell. That shows life. Most importantly, we’re unveiling KAPATU in the month of November, the same month this monument was also unveiled. The month of November will remain very significant to us as an area,” he said.
The DVCAA Prof. Annette hailed the visit, noting that it aligns well with KAPATU’s philosophy of finding people where they are.
ABOUT KAPATU
KAPATU is a Nucleus National Public University established jointly by the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Kotido and Moroto, the Catholic Lawyers Society International (CLASI), headed by its president, Counsel Severino Twinobusingye, and the government of Uganda. With its main campus situated at Losilang, Kotido municipality (Karamoja). The initiative aims to foster peace and sustainable development in the region through education.
It was conceived in 2014 but actualised on 29th April, 2023, in a colourful ceremony at Nsambya presided over by H.E. the Vice President, Maj. Jessica Alupo, who represented H.E. the President. The KAPATU project is being overseen by a Strategic Leadership Committee comprising President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (Chair/Founding Chancellor), Vice President Jessica Alupo (Founding Deputy Chancellor), and First Lady, also Minister for Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataha Museveni.
The government has, in the FY2025/26, allocated Shs180bn for the university’s establishment following a special cabinet sitting on 16th December 2024, chaired by H.E. the President and also attended by H.E. the Vice President.