The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Brig Michael Kabango, the Fifth Infantry Division Commander says their intelligence indicates that the thieves are using their networks within the communities to easily access community cattle kraals. He questions how the thugs reached the community even after heavy military deployment in the areas of Agago and its porous border point.
His statement comes just two days after a group of armed thugs suspected to have crossed from Kotido district invaded Mora East village in Ngora Parish, Paimol Sub-county and looted 45 cattle.
“We have found that there are collaborators in these communities who feed the thugs information, How do these cattle thieves beat security deployed in the area if they don’t know? it means they know!” Brig Kabango said. He adds that they have now spread their networks in the community and mobilized Local Council chairpersons to weed out people who could be collaborating with the cattle thugs. He added that the law enforcement teams want to engage with the locals in a meeting to help them identify some of the criminals in the area.
Brig Kabango also notes that the army is pushing for the district leaders to enact an ordinance to temporarily ban movement of animals to outside markets to ensure easy monitoring by both security and local leaders.
Whereas the army suspect collaborators are partly to blame for the rising cattle theft, George William Kilama, the Paimol Sub County Chairperson believes the thugs are “smart” and urged the army to improve their security. Kilama says the thugs have been stealing cattle for long within and outside Agago district and have mastered the art of bypassing security.
Leonard Ojok, the district Chairperson told URN in an interview that there are plans to boost security deployment along the porous border points with Karamoja region. Some 700 Local defence Unit personnel have been deployed in the district since the start of the year to man the several porous border points with the Karamoja region.
The army recently embarked on a disarmament process in the Karamoja region to rid the area of guns following the resurgence of cattle rustling that has spilt to neighbouring districts. The sub-counties of Omiya Pacwa, Paimol, Lapono Adilang and Parabongo, all bordering Karamoja have been hard hit by the resumption of cattle thieves this year.
*********
URN
