Karimojong cattle raids : Acholi leaders urge OPM to provide emergency relief

AGAGO – Leaders in Acholi Sub-region want the Office of the Prime Minister [OPM] to consider providing emergency relief to the victims of cattle rustling in Agago and Kitgum districts.

Currently, the areas of Lira Kato, Parabongo, Omiya-Pacwa, Kuwee, Kalongo Town Council, Lukole, Ajali, Ober and Adilang sub-counties are the most affected by the raids of suspected Karimojong cattle raiders.

According to government officials, the Karimojong cattle raids have since left at least 11,69 cows lost with four people killed in the recent two weeks, bringing the total number of deaths to 24 in the past two years.

Some of the locals in the affected areas now sleep in schools, and health centres as cattle rustlers intensify their attacks, targeting both people and livestock.

Alexander Okidi, the Lira Kato Sub-county LCV councilor told this reporter that due to Karimojong cattle raids, the locals in his area can hardly engage in farming and other income generating activities, leaving them hungry and without any income.

“People are living in constant fear, sleeping in classrooms and health centres where at least UPDF can protect them. No one is going to gardens to dig as they can easily be attacked by the heartless cattle raiders,” Okidi said.

The councilor said that despite presence of the Uganda People’s Defence Force [UPDF] soldiers in the area, at least 100 cows have been raided in the past two weeks, adding that one of the possible solutions to the continuous raids would be to recruit the youth to join the Local Defense Unit [LDU] to boost security in the area.

“Since the boys know the area well, they could be of great use to the UPDF in guiding them during operations. Otherwise, if the security situation continues like this, I am afraid our people are going to suffer from famine,” Okidi said.

Anthony Akol, the chairperson of the Acholi Parliamentary Group [APG] said the affected communities in the region urgently need food and other relief items such as tarpaulins, clothes, and medicines among others.

Akol also wants the government to withdraw its soldiers from foreign missions so that they deal with the insecurity back home.  “Instead of sending soldiers outside Uganda to provide security for other countries, why can`t the government prioritise the security of its nationals first?” Akol said.

Akol urged the OPM to provide relief items to the affected people as soon as possible.

Hillary Onek, the Minister of State for Disaster Preparedness in the OPM could not be reached for comments as our repeated phone calls went unanswered and not returned. His office is responsible for providing emergency relief in the country.

https://thecooperator.news/museveni-tells-security-agencies-to-cooperate-to-combat-cattle-rustling/

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