Museveni unveils plan to stop cattle rustling
Addressing leaders from the three sub-regions at State Lodge Kapchorwa on June 9, 2022, President Museveni said the government would sensitise locals to abandon cattle rustling.PHOTO/ PPU
What you need to know:
- The President met local leaders from the sub-regions of Teso, Sebei and Bugisu to seek solutions to rampant cattle rustling.
President Museveni has unveiled plans to curb cattle rustling in Karamoja and the neighbouring sub-regions of Teso and Sebei.
Addressing leaders from the three sub-regions at State Lodge Kapchorwa yesterday, Mr Museveni said the government would sensitise locals to abandon cattle rustling.
Mr Museveni also castigated Karamoja leaders, saying some of them aid cattle rustlers.
“This time around, we are going to target all people, those who raid and those aiding them. I am going to Karamoja because some of their leaders are confusing the people. You can imagine a leader, who was a vice chairperson of a sub-county, was killed while raiding,” Mr Museveni said in reference to the vice chairperson of Napumpum Sub-county in Kotido District, Aped Longoli, who was killed in May while leading a cattle rustling mission.
The President added that government would fast-track the construction of security roads in Karamoja, Teso and Sebei to ease movement of UPDF and the Anti-Stock Theft Unit personnel combating cattle rustling.
“We are planning to work on these security roads so that army vehicles move and cut off cattle rustlers,” he said.
Locals, especially in Teso have on several occasions complained that the movement of security personnel deployed to combat cattle rustling are hampered by poor roads, mostly in Kapelebyong and Katakwi districts.
The President said without total disarmament, the sub-regions would continue to experience insecurity.
Mr Museveni also said government would form a kraal-based intelligence backed by a 24-hour reconnaissance.
According to security agencies, there are about 500 illegal guns in Karamoja sub-region. Security agencies have so far recovered 300 guns.
During the first disarmament exercise conducted between 2001 and 2010 40,000 illegal arms were recovered from locals, bringing to an end armed cattle raids. However, the rustling resumed last year.
More than 2,000 cattle have been stolen in Katakwi and more than 650 in Kapelebyong. People have also been killed in Kumi, Katakwi and Kapelebyong ever since the raids intensified in October 2021. On inter-district boundary dispute between Sebei and Bugisu, Mr Museveni said the issue would be handled by the Prime Minister, Ms Robinah Nabbanja.
“We not going to change the map. The maps are there in Entebbe. Before you were born, there was a district called Bugisu. I am going to tell the prime minister to come and open the boundary as it was before independence,” he said.
The 3rd Division commander, Brig Gen Joseph Balikuddembe said they are working with the authorities in Kenya to stop cross-border cattle raids.
He said rustlers from Karamoja cross into Kenya to steal cattle and those from Kenya also engage in cross-border cattle rustling.
“The Turkana carry out revenge attacks, the number of times that our people crossed to raid. Otherwise, if our people don’t cross over to raid, then the Turkana will not raid us, even the Pokot, but the problem starts with our people here who raid amongst themselves and after cross over to the other side,” Brig Gen Balikuddembe said.
The Vice President, Ms Jessica Alupo, who hails from Teso, called for more vigilance on the borders to prevent rustling.
“We had almost believed we had put a complete stop to this challenge until raiders crossed into Teso. We had registered deaths and rape. It is a very alarming situation,” Ms Alupo said.
Mr Sam Cheptoris, the minister of Water and Environment, asked the government to consider allocating more funds for the construction of roads in hard-to-reach areas of Sebei.
