Residents and local leaders of Soi County in Kween district are concerned about the increasing cases of cattle Thefts .
According to leaders since the beginning of the year, more than 800 heads of cattle have been stolen. They also note that nine people have been killed by the warriors.
The raids are common in Ngenge, Sundete, Chepusukunya, and Giligi Sub counties.
Last week, the warriors allegedly attacked the sub-counties of Ngenge and Chepusukunya town council and shot dead 85-year-old Kapsus Arapmusobo, and stole an unspecified number of animals.
Arapmusobo is yet to be buried pending compensation from the Karamonjongs where the Sebei leaders are demanding 120 heads of cattle before burying him.
The 70-year-old Rajab Mashande, is one of the recent victims of cattle raids in the region.
Mashande a resident of Cheptere village in Chepusukunya town council says that at the beginning of the month, he lost 20 heads of cattle. He adds that he survived being killed by the armed rustlers.
Chemaswet Abdi FadhilKisos, the Soi County Member of Parliament said that residents should be allowed to own guns and protect themselves from the rustlers.
Siraji Chebet, the Mayor Chepusukunya Town Council says that livestock thefts have deprived people of their main source of income.
Geoffrey Chelogoi, the Kween LCV Chairperson says that the cases of cattle rustling are becoming rampant after the Anti-Stock Theft Unit-ASTU was withdrawn from the area.
Erias Kasirabo, the Commander of ASTU said that they withdrew from Sebei and other parts of the country and deployed them in Karamoja to contain the warriors in their area.
He however says that effective next week, there will be heavy deployment in the Sebei region.
Brig. Joseph Balikudembe, the Uganda People’s Defense Forces-UPDF 3rd Division Commander says that the army and police will be deployed to curb insecurity.
