Museveni blames cattle raids in Acholi on corrupt security officers

Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has said that corruption and laxity among the security officers are facilitating the continuous attacks by Karamojong cattle rustlers in the Acholi and Lango sub-regions.

President Museveni told Acholi sub-regional leaders and security officials on Monday that the army and Police take a long to respond to information and concerns from the public whenever the Karamojong cattle rustlers attack an area.

He noted that the security is also being bribed by the Karamojong cattle rustlers to get freed or execute their missions, and, instead arresting innocent people in order to extort money from them.

Museveni explained that with the presence of sophisticated weapons and communication tools including aircraft, the security is still failing to make good use of them to avert attacks by the rustlers.

He said that the security was tasked to develop kraal-based informers as channels for passing information from the community to the security but they are failing to utilize it.

Museveni said that a new measure has been established whereby the security will be using sniffer dogs to track down the rustlers or detect them whenever they are coming to any location.

The President who was speaking from Barelegi State Lodge in Akwang Sub County, Otuke district said that the security is ignoring the problem and claiming that the attacks by Karamojong cattle rustlers have decreased.

The President described the use of dogs to track down the rustlers as a goldmine since it has been tested in other security missions noting that the dogs can walk ten kilometers without getting tired.

According to him, the dogs will be the eyes to see the troublemakers and the ears to hear and the nose to smell. He cautioned that no cattle rustler will commit a crime and go scot-free.

He added that a standby security force working 24 hours in each unit will also be established to avoid delays in responses. He further noted that the security foot patrols are no longer effective and equally faulted the security for working in isolation leaving out members of the community.

The President also blamed the vice on corruption among the security who instead arrest innocent people and extort money from the suspects in exchange for their freedom and release actual criminals who bribe them.

He noted that this has polluted the idea of the criminal preempted arrest of suspects suspected of being part of raiding following an intelligence-led operation.

He also downplayed allegations of insufficient manpower noting that the government is capable of recruiting enough security personnel but only when they are informed by the commanders on the ground.

President Museveni committed that the measures to stop the cattle raids which among them include using aircraft at night, drones, more man powers, and developing security roads will be done within two months.

He also disclosed that new security commanders have also been brought to the affected regions to fight the problems once and for all.

The police have also been directed to have 18 personnel per sub-county, including 12 regular police officers and intelligence to be nearer to the people which is still a problem right now.

His statements come at a time when there are rising cases of attacks by suspected Karamojong cattle rustlers in the Lango and Acholi sub-regions which has also claimed the lives of many and injured others besides the theft of livestock.

Anthony Akol, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group (APG) who represented the Acholi leaders noted that the most affected areas are Agago, Kitgum, and Pader districts where people have lost lives, animals, and displaced by the cattle rustlers.

However, during the engagement, Irene Atek Jovia, the Station Manager Mega Fm in Gulu City told the President that the media should be included and supported to create awareness and pacify peace processes among the Karamojong and the affected communities. Among them is peace geared programming.

Judith Peace Acan, the Nwoya district Woman Member of Parliament also asked the President to address the issues of porous borders which they say is facilitating illegal guns into the country.

The most affected areas include Otuke and Alebtong districts in Lango and Kitgum, Lamwo, and Agago in the Acholi sub-region

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