UPDF accuses Karamoja leaders of facilitating cattle raids

A Karamojong pastoralist looking after his animals in Kaabong (PHOTO/File).

KAABONG – The Uganda Peoples Defense Force (UPDF) has warned political leaders in Karamoja region to stop facilitating cattle raiding.

The warning was made by Major Peter Mugisa, the UPDF 3rd division Spokesperson after several women in Kaabong district went on streets on Sunday, May 10 protesting against continuous attacks by suspected Jie cattle rustlers of Kotido.

He revealed that fighting between the army and Karamojong warriors will not stop cattle rustling because the facilitators are hiding in the name of leadership.

“We always kill these warriors but until when should we continue killing them, and they don’t learn or fear because they have people facilitating them to raid,” he said.

However, Mr. Samson Lokeris, the Member of Parliament for Dodoth East in Kaabong district challenged the army to arrest and produce before courts of law those leaders.

“It’s unfortunate that the army is shifting their failure to protect the people of Karamoja to the political leaders, let them arrest and bring to book anyone they get facilitating rustlers,” he said.

Karamoja region which had enjoyed peace in the previous 15 years after government successfully disarmed the Karimojong warriors is again slowly going back to the previous situation.

Last week, a medical worker attached to Moroto regional referral hospital was shot dead in an ambush mounted by cattle rustlers in Napak district as he was riding his motorbike to Otuke district to check on his family.