Move to stop livestock theft cartels gets boost

Investigations into the continued theft of livestock in Nakasongola District in Greater Luweero have revealed that organised and well-coordinated groups are behind the vice.

Authorities say the livestock cartels include herdsmen, transporters, financiers and thieves.

In an interview with Daily Monitor on Monday, Mr Sam Kigula, the Nakasongola District chairperson, said: “In the past two years, Nakasongola has lost more than 300 animals [which were] stolen from farmers.”

He added: “The methods used to load and transport the animals point to possible coordination to dodge security and ensure safe delivery [of the animals]. As leaders, we have also stepped up measures to counter the cattle theft cartels.”

The leaders say the cartels could be working with officials in the Judiciary and other government departments including the security to sustain the vice.

They cited the fact that several people have been arrested over livestock theft but when they are taken to court, many are released on bond.

Mr Kigula said some of the suspects rejoin the livestock-thieving cartels after they are released.

As a result, leaders in Nakasongola organised a meeting with the district’s Chief Magistrate Hope Bagyenda and her team to discuss the continued release on bond of people suspected to be engaged in cattle theft.

“We have had a fruitful engagement with the Chief Magistrate of Nakasongola. We discussed issues surrounding the court bond among other legal issues in relation to the suspects arrested in connection with livestock theft cases,” the Nakasongola Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Mr Jonathan Akweteireho, said.

He added: “We were told that witnesses fail to come to court which creates ground for the suspects to walk free.”

Efforts to get a comment from Chief Magistrate Bagyenda were futile by press time as her known number was not available.

When Daily Monitor contacted Judiciary spokesperson Jameson Karemani for a comment, he said he was busy and would get back to us but had not done so by press time.

The leaders say the vice has also hindered wealth-creation initiatives by both the government and residents in the affected areas.

“You cannot mobilise the residents for wealth creation when the very means to drive the wealth is threatened by thieves,” Mr Akweteireho said.

He added: “Some of the kraals have become holding centres for stolen animals before they get to the final destination. This is part of our investigations as we fight livestock theft.”

During the 34th Heroes’ Day celebrations in Kasaala Village, Luweero District on June 9, the State Minister for Luweero Triangle, Ms Alice Kaboyo, said livestock theft is one of the challenges negatively impacting the Wealth Creation drive and general welfare of the farming groups in Greater Luweero.

Mr Boaz Kyamanywa, a farmer at Nakitoma Village in Nakitoma Sub-county, who lost seven cows when thieves broke into his farm on March 2, 2022, said he has since resorted to personally watching over his farm at night alongside his two guards.

 “I work throughout the night together with my two watchmen. We cannot create wealth when the animals are taken away. We need security for the wealth that we are working for as farmers,” he said.

While some of the stolen livestock is transported using trucks at night, some of the perpetrators of the crimes use commuter taxis and saloon cars to move the animals.

It was also revealed that livestock carcasses of stolen animals are transported in milk cans and wooden tomato boxes to avoid detection from the security teams.

“When the livestock thieves fail to transport live animals, they resort to different crude means. As leaders together with the security, we are trying to identify some of the known transporters of the stolen animals,” Mr Kigula said.

It is also alleged that herdsmen on big farms collude with thieves to steal animals as they graze.

“The herdsmen know the movement of animals better than the owners. Some animal owners take long to check on the animals giving room to the herdsmen to connive with the thieves,” Mr Godfrey Lutalo, the chairperson of Nakitoma Sub-county, said.

He added: “In Nakitoma Sub-county, we are engaging all stakeholders because our area is among the hot spots for livestock theft.”

While security banned the night movement of animals across the three districts of Luweero, Nakaseke and Nakasongola over allegations that many animals which are transported in the night are stolen, there are some people who are still transporting animals in the night.

According to police in Nakasongola District indicate that 287 heads of cattle were stolen between May 2022 and May.

The hot spots for livestock theft in Nakasongola are Katuugo, Namansa, Nakitoma, Nabiswera, Lwampanga and Kakooge areas in Nakasongola District.

 On June 18, at least eight stolen cows were intercepted at Wabisisha Village in Katuugo Town Council, Nakasongola District.

According to the 2022 Police Annual Crime Report, Nakasongola District registered the second-highest number of livestock theft in Uganda.

However, the Nakasongola Resident District Commissioner, Mr Saleh Kamba, is optimistic that the different counter measures instituted by the security in coordination with the different stakeholders are yielding fruit.

“It is true that livestock theft has been a big challenge in Nakasongola and the Greater Luweero areas. The countermeasures that we have instituted have seen a reduction in the animal theft cases in Nakasongola,” he said.

“We continue to rally our farmers to remain vigilant and cooperate with the security in stamping out the animal theft vice,” he added.

One measure which is being pushed by some farmers and leaders is the branding of animals.

“Branded animals become a big problem for cattle thieves to transport since the animals can easily be identified by owners and security. Our challenge is possibly the cost of branding,” Mr Joseph Mugisha, a farmer in Nabiswera Sub-county, Nakasongola District, said.

ELSEWHERE

In Nakaseke District, the livestock theft hot spots are in the sub-counties of Kinyogoga, Ngoma and Wakyato where an average of 10 cows are reportedly stolen each month, according to the district police report.

The Nakaseke District chairperson, Mr Ignatius Kiwanuka Koomu, said while some animals are recovered after getting intercepted, many animals remain unaccounted for.

In Luweero District, the Resident District Commissioner, Mr Richard Bwabye, revealed that livestock theft, though not frequently reported, is a big challenge in the fight against poverty in the area.

“We work jointly with the neighbouring districts because the stolen animals moved through the porous borders to the markets. We have areas of Zirobwe, Kamira, and Kikyusa where cases of livestock theft have been reported,” he said.

What they say...

Sam Kigula, Nakasongola District chairperson.

The methods used to load and transport the animals point to possible coordination to dodge security and ensure safe delivery [of the animals]. As leaders, we have also stepped up measures to counter the cattle theft cartels.

Godfrey Lutalo, Nakitoma Sub-county chairperson.

The herdsmen know the movement of animals better than the owners. Some animal owners take long to check on the animals giving room to the herdsmen to connive with the thieves.

Saleh Kamba, Nakasongola Resident District Commissioner 

It is true that livestock theft has been a big challenge in Nakasongola and the Greater Luweero areas. The countermeasures that we have instituted have seen a reduction in the animal theft cases in Nakasongola.