President Museveni has said the raging deadly cattle rustling in northeastern Uganda appears to be business involving some leaders.
“It is commercial now! It is no longer the traditional cattle rustling. It is business. They steal the cows, put them on lorries and sell them in markets,” Mr Museveni remarked.
Addressing leaders of the Lango and Acholi sub-regions on June 11, the head of state said the attacks “will be easy to deal with since the raiders have linked up with business people.”
“The roads in Karamoja (sub-region) are not many. If you say they are transporting animals on lorries- where do they pass? That means you soldiers are the ones allowing them to pass,” he opined at Baralegi State Lodge in Otuke District.
Kole Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Ms Caroline Angolere told the President that cattle rustling is some kind of coordinated theft.
“At about 6:30pm On January 26, 2022, I was going to the market in Lira when I saw a truck carrying Karamojong branded cows. I picked interest and stopped in front of that truck to understand whether those cows were stolen or not,” she narrated.
She added: “I asked for a movement permit which was not given. They only gave me a receipt written by the Orom Sub-county chief in Kitgum District and those cows were going to Lira market. This is coordinated theft right from the sub-county officials to the leaders themselves.”
In response, Mr Museveni warned that the days of cattle rustlers are numbered, adding that “government will install CCTV cameras on roads to enable security monitor movement of animal in the area.”
The Ugandan leader has vowed a ruthless approach in wiping out the said armed criminals that also operate with bows and arrows.
“Even if there are suspects in Kenya, we shall work with Kenyan government and arrest them. The Kenyan government cannot harbor people who are endangering us. Even South Sudan, these are friendly governments. As long as we have got intelligence, we shall go for them together,” he said.
Hundreds of livestock have been reported stolen and almost 100 people killed or ambushed in deadly attacks by armed rustlers in northeastern Uganda over the last six months.
