GULU-Acholi leaders have placed several demands including boosting security to curtail the surging cases of cattle raids by the suspected Karimojong warriors.
The leaders, including politicians, religious and traditional made the damnds on Monday while meeting President Museveni at Baralegi State Lodge in Okwang Sub-county in Otuke district. Museveni is in the area to assess and find lasting solutions to the cattle raids.
Among the several demands placed by Anthony Akol, the chairperson Acholi Parliamentary Group [APG], are; increased deployment of armed security personnel, use of sniffer dogs, drones and deployment of helicopters with special features to detect the suspected Karimojong warriors.
Akol further urged government to consider supporting the cattle owners tag their cattle for easy identification, compensate the lost properties and families of people killed by the suspected Karimojong warriors.
According to Akol, the government must also investigate the rumours of some soldiers selling bullets to the Karimojong warriors, as well as raiding the animals from the communities in Acholi.
Judith Peace Achan, the Nwoya district Woman Member of Parliament said that porous borders in the region need to be closely monitored by security, adding that some Karimojing warriors use them to smuggle arms into the country.
According to Achan, for the community members to be sure of their safety, there`s need for the government to recruit ex-combatants and home guards to work alongside the UPDF.
Currently, the districts of Agago, Kitgum and Pader are the most affected in Acholi Sub-region and Kole, Otuke and Oyam in Lango Sub-region.
While speaking to Acholi leaders over the cattle raids, Museveni assured them of improved security deployment, including helicopters, sniffer dogs, among others within the next two months.
He said that among other solutions, there will be more security roads opened and additional manpower to ensure easy accessibility and follow up, such that cattle raiders are trailed and arrested.
The president pledged to visit the Acholi Sub-region again in June to update the population there on the progress of handling cattle rustling. “I promise to come back in June, then you people will either say I am a person of lies…or I will say you people of little faith as Jesus used to tell his disciples,” he said.
Four people have been killed while several others injured during the cattle raids. At least 1,169 cows have been stolen since the beginning of the year.
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