MOROTO – The members of parliament for Karamoja region have raised a red flag over the continous cattle rusttling, calling for argent governmnet action to end the vice.
The MPs led by Samson Lokeris, MP for Dodoth East in Kaabong district said if the governmnet continues being unserious with the current cattle raiding in the region it would become hard to control.
According to Lokeris, the Karimojong have resumed cattle raiding on daily basis saying that the incident is most likely to scare away investors in the region.
“Every day army is fighting with these cattle rustlers and they always over power the army and take away cattle. This leaves us wondering where have the guns come from again,” he said.
The MPs made the remarks on Friday after the Kotido Joe Cattle rusttlers raided hundreds of cattle in Sidok sub county in Kaabong district.
The warriors fought with army, injuring three UPDF soldiers and one teenager who was in the kraal by the time of attack.
Ms Stella Atyang, woman MP for Moroto district said the insecurity situation in Karamoja was getting out of hand adding that the region was going back to the previous in security situation.
“We are afraid on the current speed the cattle raiders are coming back, they are tackling police and army barracks, raid cattle from the protected kraals and this is wrong and scaring,” she said.
Mr. Terence Achia Sodium, the Bokora county MP in Napak district said the cattle rustlers seems to be challenging the UPDF on the ground.
“Security situation in Karamoja is going back to the previous situation because the armed rustlers have started
launching road ambushes, “he said.
However, Major Peter Mugisa, the UPDF 3rd division spokesperson said the situation is under control adding that it had not yet gone out of hand.
“We are controlling the situation and the public should not panic. What we are only asking them is to cooperate with the security forces to get rid of the cattle rustlers,” he said.