The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Moroto, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A section of Moroto district leaders have renewed their call for the reinstatement of the local vigilante groups to back security forces in the fight against cattle rustlers.
The leaders argue that the communities have continued losing cattle to suspected raiders and little is done to rescue the situation. They want the local vigilantes to be formed and integrated into the security forces.
Joseph Otita, the LCIII chairperson for Rupa sub county, says that the vigilantes would help to coordinate with security forces to deal with the wrong elements in the society.
Otita noted that the removal of the local defense unit forces has left a huge gap in security and there is a need to bring them back to fill the gaps.
According to Otita, the vigilantes are very important and there is no other alternative but to rely on them to restore peace in the region.
Jackson Angella, an elder in Rupa sub county accused the forces of not doing enough to protect locals from being attacked by the suspected cattle raiders.
Angella blamed the security forces for working in isolation disregarding the local communities that would help provide the security forces with leads in the disarmament process.
“These boys in the grazing areas should be given guns and they stay with soldiers so that when there is an attack, they can support the forces to repulse the enemy”, Angella said.
Angella said the cattle keepers cannot escape with guns because they know it protects their animals from being raided by rustlers.
Samuel Piriri Abura, the former MP for Matheniko County in Moroto district said the pastoralists would feel secure with their own people guarding them because they mastered the tactics of the armed warriors.
Abura said the region can only regain peace and stability if the government considers recruiting at least 1,000 vigilantes each district.
He said the local vigilantes would work together with security forces and this can help to address the crisis of manpower shortage in the forces.
Abura noted that when they requested the LDUs, the government decided to deploy the Anti-Theft Stock Unit which rustlers had beaten their intelligence.
Brigadier Gen Joseph Balikudembe, the UPDF 3rd Division Commander turned down the request saying the leadership of Karamoja had been accused of conniving with cattle rustlers.
Balikudembe said that they resolved to phase out all the LDUs personnel and they shall no longer buy any idea of reinstating them, as it will be another security threat.
“We cannot bring back LDUs because they were proven to be part of the criminal elements, even the leaders confirmed it, so let the leaders cool down their appetite,” Balikudembe reiterated.
Balikudembe said there is no need for the community to panic because the security forces are already making efforts to improve security.
In 2021, the UPDF phased out LDU personnel deployed in Karamoja following the investigations that proved some Karamojong who were recruited as LDU personnel had become a security threat.
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