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Moroto, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Karamoja sub-region is set to receive 2,500 police personnel this month to beef up security and enhance operations, especially on disarmament.
The additional personnel will also enhance a crackdown on cattle thefts and counter cattle rustling that has persisted in the region. The deployment follows a directive from President Yoweri Museveni during his recent visit to the sub-region following a sustained upsurge of insecurity orchestrated by armed warriors.
The personnel will be deployed in all nine districts to beef up police posts at the sub-counties. The development was confirmed by regional police spokesperson Michael Longole on Monday.
There is a thin presence of the police across the region with most police posts establishments in each sub-county operating with limited manpower.
According to the residents of Matany in Napak district, the thin police presence has undermined police response to crime incidences and emergencies. They called for the deployment of a strong force that can always handle the security needs on time, which is seen as one of the ways to reduce the crime rate.
“When we report crime incidents to police, you may be asked to wait until an officer has come back from arresting a suspect earlier reported. Emergencies may have to wait and this affects their response to crime incidents,” noted Emmanuel Lokech, a resident of Matany.
Police in the sub-region has been equipped with new vehicles, motorcycles and communication equipment to ease response and counter cattle rustling. Each district has received 1 vehicle and 13 motorcycles to ease mobility and response. 12 armoured vehicles have also been stationed in Karamoja.
The Moroto LCV Chairperson David Koriang has welcomed plans to deploy a strong force to secure the sub-region.
Paul Komol, the Kotido LCV Chairperson is optimistic about this development but wants the UPDF too to deploy more personnel in strategic cattle corridors.
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