Locals spend nights in kraals guarding as animal theft intensifies

People with animals in the districts of Katakwi and Kapelebyong bordering Karamoja Sub-region are spending nights inside kraals guarding animals as the spate of cattle thefts intensifies.

Mr Moses Iteit, the chairperson for Ngariam Sub-county in Katakwi District, said many locals spend nights out until morning.

He said immediately the herds are driven back to the kraals, a team of boys and their fathers take charge of the security.

“Every family has been handed whistles and trumpets. Immediately they see thieves trying to enter any kraal, they alert the entire village,” Mr Iteit said.

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The sub-county boss also said cattle rustling has been rampant in other surrounding sub-counties of Magoro, Palam, and Guyaguya.

On Wednesday, the Kapelebyong chairperson, Mr Francis Akorikin, said 46 head of cattle were stolen in Acukudu, bordering the districts of Abim and Napak.

He said the locals in collaboration with a team of security managed to pursue the thieves but failed to recover the animals.

“I hardly have rest at night. I am always called by locals to mobilise security to chase after the cattle thieves,” Mr Akorikin added.

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Mr Stephen Ekoom, the RDC of Katakwi, said in the course of the week, the district security team managed to arrest eight people suspected to be collaborators in the theft of cattle from Katakwi.

Mr Ekoom said security was tracking communications of the suspects. He said some of the suspects had already been arraigned in the courts of law, and remanded to Katakwi government prisons. 

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Mr Emmy Ojirot, a resident from Katakwi, said cattle theft by Karimojong warriors has become a lifetime nightmare.