Cattle rustling was for decades a traditional practice used to
replenish herds following the deaths of animals due to diseases or prolonged
drought, for prestige and marriage.
The archaic culture is characterized by excessive violence and
driven profit intentions.
This was expressed by Executive Director for Karamoja Development
Forum-KDF Simon Longoli while discussing a recent research involving pastoral
communities in the Karamoja cluster, during the Uganda - Kenya cross border
peace and security meeting held at Hotel Leslona in Moroto town.
However, Longoli says the research also energizes community leaders
to seek new solutions to end the armed crime by developing appropriate
strategies for coping with the challenges of conflict resolution in Karamoja
and the neighbours in Kenya and South Sudan.
He says rustling has triggered revenge and conflict amongst
communities, impoverished scores, and enriched a few, while undermining peace
and security across the Karamoja cluster that comprises Karamoja, Turkana from
Kenya, Toposa-South Sudan and the Ny’angatom in Ethiopia.
The KDF Executive director says security forces have responded with
the disarmament exercise, but in the absence of effective protection for the
vast pastoralist herds, something that has forced them to rearm.
The research paper urges governments to deal with the problem by
initiating peace and the disarmament efforts so that rustlers engaged in the
illegal practice surrender arms.
Meanwhile, the MP for Matheniko John Baptist Lokii says government
has put in place peaceful income-generating activities but cattle thefts remain
a huge challenge among the herders, with increased gun violence.
Lokii further noted that the raids have been transformed from
customary restocking to a commercial strategy.
On the other hand, the district chairperson Amudat Joseph Nangole,
attributed commercialization of cattle raids to poor recovery of animals,
saying while cows are stolen the recovery rate is very slow.
Presiding over the meeting, the Chairman of Ateker/Karamoja Chapter
Peter Aimat Lokeris said the issues raised during the meeting are necessary but
have been discussed for decades.
Lokeris says insecurity in the region is being caused by careless
people who want free things.
He urged Uganda and Kenya to seek for everlasting peace saying,
while the former is disarming its people, the latter is asking its people to
keep guns for safety of their livestock.
Speaking at the same meeting, the 3rd Infantry Division
Commander Maj. Gen. Don Williams Nabasa asked the Turkana to leave guns back
home as they search for pasture and water.
He further told the Turkana leaders that Uganda does not embrace
the culture of carrying illegal weapons because they disturb the peace of the
people.