By Spy Uganda
Kampala: President Yoweri Museveni who is also the Commander in Chief of the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces is camping in Eastern and Northern regions, boots on ground, with a clarion call to the security organs to nip in the bud, the threat of re-insurgence of cattle-rustlers in Karamoja.
The rustlers who have changed raid tactics in a network that involves criminals with guns, bows and arrows, stick-squads that drive the cows and corroborators have recently wrecked havoc leaving a trail of death, rape and destruction and threatening the prevailing peace and security in the region.
The President has since met security organs including the UPDF, Police, Resident District Commissioners, Internal Security Organisation officers and Uganda Wildlife Authority officials over the security situation in Karamoja which has affected the neighbouring regions of Teso, Bugisu, Sebei and a spill over in Kenya.
President Museveni commended security forces in the region for their concept of a reaction force and Intelligence-led operations to curb cattle rustling including profiling suspects.
The President said with the increasing other crimes including murder and rape, there is a need for police to establish units per sub-county to enable police to quickly deal with that.
“Even without enough manpower, we can deal with that problem. The bigger man-power, the bigger wage bill! We can’t build roads and other infrastructure if we have to deal with cattle thieves,” he said. On the issue of guns in the region, the President directed security chiefs in Bugisu, Sebei and Teso regions to deal with the internal problem of using guns in cattle rustling.
Museveni believes the above will be the lasting solution to end cattle rustling among Ugandans and across in the neighbouring countries and asked security to intensify the effectiveness of hunting for guns to disarm rustlers.
“The issue of guns in Kenya and South Sudan should not concern us. The problem is internal. Because if you try to tie our internal security problem with what happens in the neighbouring countries, we shall never get peace,” Museveni said.
The Deputy Chief of Defense Forces Lt Gen Peter Elwelu noted the need to bring on board “Fortune Tellers”, who he said are lead consultants in cattle rustling with powers to curse and bless rustlers.
He said according to the Internal Security Organization – ISO, the group has a total membership of around 700 people who gather in a place called Morukajole in Nakapiripirit district where they perform their rituals.
“The Kajamajong believe a lot in spirituality and in these people of theirs. So, we need to know them and make them understand the need for peace in Karamoja,” Gen Elwelu told the President who promised to handle the matter through the office of the Prime Minister.
The President yesterday met regional leaders from Bugisu, Sebei and Teso alongside the security apparatus before heading to Otuke in Lango region and later to Moroto in Karamoja in an operation aimed at sweeping out pockets of re-emerging rustlers.
