Insecurity by Karamojong dominates Museveni’s cattle compensation launch

Gen Balikudembe disclosed that they recently held a security meeting and discussed the security situation in Karamoja extensively.

By Frank Oyugi

Soroti – March 28, 2022: The brewing insecurity situation in Teso sub-region as a result of cattle rustling on Saturday overshadowed the launch of cattle compensation officiated by president Museveni at Soroti University.

“I have received a comprehensive report by Vice President Jessica Alupo on the issue of cattle rustling and the issues raised are very clear,” the president said. This would later open doors for counter complaints by Teso leaders.

But first Mr. Museveni summoned the commander of the 3rd Division in the Karamamoja region Brigadier Joseph Balikundembe and demanded to know why security has not arrested the situation.

“These animals are carried in Lorries and they follow the road, they don’t fly them in helicopters, so why can’t we have roadblocks and arrest them,” the commander in chief (CIC) questioned his commander.

In his response, Brig. Gen Balikudembe told the President that it was true in the recent past the cattle rustlers from Karamoja was were disturbing the peace of the neighboring communities, especially from Teso sub-region.

“Your Excellency, the mode of this cattle rustling has changed, these rustlers are now stealing animals for commercial purposes,” he told the CiC.

Gen Balikudembe disclosed that they recently held a security meeting and discussed the security situation in Karamoja extensively and agreed to install checkpoints along major routes.

According to Brig. Gen Balikudembe, since revising tough security measures, they have so far impounded trucks with stolen animals as far as in other districts of Acholi sub-region, notably from Agago.

The president was not fully convinced and said there seems to be laxity by the security operatives in the region, further revealing that he intended to fly to Karamoja to access the security situation in the region.

It was at this point that some leaders from the region took to the podium and emphatically asserted to the president the magnitude of the deteriorating security situation in the region.

“Your Excellency, with due respect I want to state here that our security is failing us, and I am here to tell you the truth that animals are being stolen in large numbers and our people are being killed yet nothing is being done by the security,” the state minister for economic monitoring, Peter Ogwang told the president.

Ogwang said he had also personally lost over 25 animals to suspected Karamojong rustlers and said the problem had escalated to other districts such as Kumi and Amuria.

Nelson Elongates Lakol, the Kumi LCV chairperson also reiterated this position to the president and said something needs to be done quickly and expressed worries that those whose animals will be compensated risk losing them to the Karamojong cattle rustlers and that they have just recently buried a young man who was killed and abandoned in the bush only to be recovered by the army.

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In rejoinder, the president said he understands the challenge on the ground and affirmed his plans to visit the Karamoja region and hold another meeting with his commanders.

The president also revealed that part of the problem was limited manpower because Achol-pii army barracks is concentrating on training soldiers but was quick to add that the 3rd division was supported by equipment including helicopters.

Meanwhile, the president while launching the cattle compensation for Northern Uganda warned the beneficiaries that they risk slipping back into the poverty cycle if they do not put the monies into good use.

The president advised the beneficiaries to embrace the gospel of the four acres mole that the National Resistance Movement started preaching in 1986 and to engage in commercial agriculture in a bid to fight poverty.

Known for sandwiching his speeches with the local dialect, the president said to the beneficiaries in luo “avoid pur me yic keken” and engage in commercial agriculture.

The president also did say that Northern Uganda lost their animals when Uganda was transiting from the UPC government led by the late Dr. Apollo Milton Obote and said the NRM had to take responsibility.

“We have a proverb in Runyakore which says, ‘the last person to leave the bed lays the bed’ so we had to lay the bed since we were in government,” the president said.

He also observed that some people inflated the numbers of the animals to defraud the government but commended the operation wealth creation team manned by Gen. Salim for carrying out verification of the claimants.

“Some people have been lying about the number of their animals but Rubanga tye, Rubanga will sort them out and I have seen Rubanga sorting them out,” a jolly Museveni said.