Cattle rustling has paralyzed the entire region
A Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) soldier and two cattle rustlers were killed in a fierce clash between cattle rustlers and the army on Sunday in Kotido district.
The clash took place in Namayiri village in Kotido district involving the army and Jie cattle rustlers. Lokamar Icumar a resident of Panyangara town council in Kotido district told URN that there was a heavy gun sound for almost one and half hours.
“Within five minutes a military ambulance was running at a terrible speed and we were informed that one soldier had been killed,” he said. Mariko Akorio, another resident said the soldiers also managed to kill two rustlers.
“It seems the rustlers were many on the ground and armed. Thank God that the military had to engage helicopter gunship otherwise things would have been bad,” he said.
Betty Nakiru, a resident of Napumpum village, said that the only way to end cattle rustling in Karamoja is using force.
She is worried that if the current fighting and killings continue in Karamoja, the general population of Karimojong will reduce. “When you look at the people being killed as a result of cattle rustling they are just youth between 17 to 20 years of age who are supposed to be the next generation of Karamoja after us,” she said.
Brig Joseph Balikudembe, the UPDF 3rd Division commander confirmed the incident, saying that Jie cattle rustlers landed on UPDF soldiers who were carrying out military activities in the area.
“The Jie cattle rustlers were on their way to raid animals in those areas of Moroto, so when they saw our soldiers they started shooting at our soldiers prompting the soldiers to respond. “Unfortunately, we lost one soldier. Two rustlers were also killed,” he said.
Brig Balikudembe challenged the leaders in the region to rally the locals to abandon cattle rustling and hand over their guns to the government. Brig. Balikudembe says that he gets hurt when young people are active in raiding animals and killing innocent people.
“These rustlers are your voters, brothers, children why can’t we speak to them as leaders to stop rustling?” he asked.
-URN
