Why livestock theft continues unabated in Greater Luweero

According to the guidelines introduced in 2022 by security committees in the above districts, all vehicles carrying livestock are supposed to move between 7am and 6pm. 

The rules also require police to intensify both motorised and foot patrols to deter thieves from transporting stolen animals. The transportation of animals is supposed to be cleared by the veterinary office and village leaders.

However, the cattle farmers say all the guidelines are rarely enforced.

“We are surprised that thieves use known routes at night to ferry stolen animals despite the ban on night movement of animals by the government. The law enforcement, including the police, are thinly spread while many are part of the problem,” says Mr Solomon Kasibante, a farmer from Nakitoma Sub-county, Nakasongola District, who lost seven cows in July.

On average, 50 animals, mostly cows, are stolen from different kraals in the district alone every month.

Mr Sam Kigula, the Nakasongola District chairperson, says his area is the worst hit, with more than 200 cows stolen from kraals since June.

“The farmers appeal to the government to reconsider the existing anti-stock theft guidelines that are failing to check animal theft. We need a special anti-stock unit to tackle the vice. Our farmers are demoralised,” he says.

“When you lose more than 35 cows from different kraals in just three weeks, the situation becomes alarming. We have cases where the animals are stolen on a daily basis. We the leaders have no direct answer when the guidelines set by the government are failing to check livestock theft,” Mr Kigula adds.

Mr Adams Karangwa, a farmer from Masindi Port Sub-county in Kiryandongo District, who has now lost 17 cows since May, blames the poor deployment and possible infiltration of the security agencies by the cattle theft gangs.

“We now have information that some of the stolen cows go through the known routes, including Kasozo Bridge in Nakaseke District, and River Kafu Bridge through the districts of Masindi, Nakaseke, Nakasongola and Hoima. The entire cattle corridor is not safe, we are demoralised as farmers,” he says.

Kiryandongo Deputy Resident District Commissioner Jonathan Akweteireho says the worst-hit sub-county is Masindi Port.

“We have tried our best but livestock theft is becoming complex, he says.

In Nakasongola District, the sub-counties that have registered the highest number of livestock cases include Nakitoma, Kakooge, Wabinyonyi, Kalungi and Kalongo.

“The bridges at Bulyamusenyu and Kasozi are manned by security, but we get information that stolen animals go through these areas. We are trying to investigate the allegations. The situation in our areas amounts to economic sabotage. Livestock is the economic activity employing more than 70 percent of our people in Nakasongola District,” Mr Kigula says.

On August 9, Mr Sam Masereka, a farmer from Nakitoma Sub-county, lost three cows after suspected thieves raided his farm. The animals were reportedly loaded onto a vehicle that went through Kafu Bridge to either Kiryandongo or Masindi.

“We tried to trace the movement of the vehicle that transported the stolen animals and our own intelligence pointed to the route via Kafu Bridge to either Masindi or Kiryandongo. We are no longer reporting the theft cases to police since we have no chances of ever recovering the animals,” he says.

In Kiboga District, the worst hit areas include Lwamata Town Council, and Bukomero and Buwunga sub-counties. The thieves, according to the residents, use vehicles to transport the stolen animals that are smuggled via the districts of Kyankwanzi and Nakaseke.

“The leadership in the cattle corridor districts must devise means of ending livestock theft. We have experienced cases where the security blames us for failing to protect our animals from the thieves. It is likely that our security is thinly spread and unable to protect our animals,” Mr Juma Mugisha, a farmer in Lwamata Town Council, says.

But Savannah Regional Police spokesperson Sam Twineamazima says in coordination with other security agencies, they are doing a great job of curbing livestock theft.

“We have on several occasions intercepted trucks transporting animals at night and alerted authorities in Nakasongola to come and identify the animals. Even as I speak now we have a truck intercepted with cattle and are waiting for the leaders and owners to come and identify the animals at Luweero Police,” he said last week.

He says police are also mounting snap checks in different locations and some people transporting livestock without any documents have been arrested.