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Nabilatuk, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Leaders from Karamoja and Teso sub region have raised a red flag over the increasing illegal trade of livestock.
The leaders say they are concerned by the trade that has resurrected cattle theft both from Karamoja and Teso, frustrating their efforts to recover livestock.
Paul Lokol, the LCV chairperson for Nabilatuk says that the communities have engaged in the illegal trade of livestock with cattle dealers in bushes while others operate from the markets but are not regulated.
Lokol says the illegal cattle trade is booming and there is a need to tighten policies regarding the cattle trade because many animals have been lost.
“I think we should become tough on animal trade because we are losing a lot on livestock trade, I’m thinking of closing markets in Nabilatuk until we find the solution to end this’,’ Lokol lamented.
Lokol revealed that cows are stolen from Amudat district and sold in Nabilatuk in either markets or bushes before being driven to the districts of Teso.
Francis Akorikin, the LCV chairperson for Kapelebyong observed that in most cases, cattle dealers have movement permits which are stamped by one village chairperson where the market operates from.
He pointed out that there are some village chairpersons who are aiding the cattle theft by clearing and issuing movement permits to the traders buying stolen animals.
Akorikin warned the village chairpersons saying they should be very vigilant when handling livestock matters because it may lead them into trouble.
Geoffrey Omolo, the LCV Chairperson for Katakwi noted that the problem has persisted for a long time and there is a need to call for a meeting involving all the cattle dealers to share and agree on how best they can handle the matter.
Omolo said the traders prefer buying animals from the community cheaply but later drive to the market and this forces them to access any village chairperson for the movement permit without establishing the background of the cattle purchased.
Elias Kassirabo, the ASTU Commander says that illegal livestock markets operate majorly in Amudat district. He said all three livestock markets in Amudat district have not been following the operational guidelines which were issued for the trade.
Kassirabo noticed that people have been driving animals to the markets and selling them without any documentation because they are no longer adhering to the rules and regulations regarding the cattle trade.
He also observed that the cattle dealers always connive with district veterinary officers to issue illegal movement permits, making the work of security at checkpoint difficult to detect stolen cows.
In 2022, police profiled all the livestock markets across the Karamoja sub-region in a bid to regulate cattle business and stop the theft of cattle.
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