Museveni wants law criminalising cattle rustling as UPDF High Command discusses Karamoja

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni who is also the Commander in Chief (CIC) of the UPDF has suggested a tough law criminalising cattle rustling.

“The cattle rustlers are not a big problem. Nobody should be stealing cows. I want us to make a law criminalizing cattle-rustling,” he said.

The president was on Thursday meeting with the UPDF High Command in which a number of issues including the situation in Karamoja and the Operation in DRC were discussed by the top security brass of the country.

In the recent month, warriors from both within and from the neighbouring Kenya have wrecked havock in Karamoja by stealing animals but also killing people, including security personnel.

Last month, two UPDF soldiers and three government geologists from the Ministry of Energy who were mapping out minerals were shot dead by Turkana warriors and two of their guns taken.

President Museveni recently said the situation in Karamoja can easily be dealt with.

“The security situation in the country is good. There are a few little things that are easy to deal with, like the cattle rustling in Karamoja. That one will be dealt with,” Museveni said during the pass out of the fourth batch of Local Defence Unit personnel at Kaweweeta.

The president is also expected to camp in Karamoja in a bid to find lasting solutions to the problem.

Operation in DRC

During the Thursday meeting, the UPDF High Command also discussed the ongoing operation in DRC targeting Allied Democratic Forces rebels.

In the operation named “Shuja” a Kiswahili word for bravery, the UPDF in November launched air and artillery attacks targeting ADF bases in the thick DRC forests.

This was followed by Ugandan troops setting boots on DRC soil to work together with FADRC to comb the thick forests for the rebels.

Consequently, the biggest ADF camp, named Kambi Ya Yua was captured as the ADF fled.

During the Thursday meeting, the commander in chief told the UPDF High Command that the operation is moving well and  that soon ADF will be no more.

“The operation in Congo has gone very well and we are now in phase three of sweeping all the camps of the enemy. We have only lost three soldiers and two of them died from self-accident,” he said.

Museveni said that this was all because of the good planning and strategies of the UPDF.

Operation Shujaa is being implemented following a Memorandum of Understanding between the government of Uganda and the DRC to conduct joint operations for the eradication of ADF and other foreign-armed groups in the eastern part of DRC.

Commends army

The president however commended the UPDF  for their efforts in enforcing Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) when the pandemic was at its peak.

“I congratulate you for going through the Corona pandemic. Thank you for doing your part of enforcement. Many countries like U.S.A lost many people, over one million, but because of our correct line and guidance we only lost about 3,000 people,” Gen Museveni said.

The president added that if it weren’t for the indiscipline of some opposition groups during campaigns that led to the second wave of the virus, Uganda would have lost very few people.

He  also hailed the UPDF for fighting the locusts and more recently detecting elements that wanted to make Uganda ungovernable during the recently concluded presidential elections.

“I salute you for your contribution. Thank you for fighting the locusts and for stopping the insecurity that was caused by some wrong elements during elections with the aim of making the country ungovernable,” he said.

During the same meeting, President Museveni commissioned five  junior officers at the ranks of Lieutenant and Second Lieutenant who have been undergoing Basic Military Training Cadet courses in Kenya, United Kingdom, and Jamaica respectively.

The officers commissioned include; O/CDT Agaba Junior who has been studying in Jamaica for one year, second Lieutenant Edgar Koojo who has been studying from Sandhurst school, United Kingdom for one year.

Others were Lt. Andrew Mwebembezi, Lt. Alfred Blac Mulabi and Lt. Allan Akampulira who were all on a three years course in Kenya.

The meeting was attended by the Minister of Defence  Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja, State Minister for Defence Jacob Oboth Oboth, the CDF Gen. Wilson Mbadi, the Coordinator Operation Wealth Creation, Gen. Salim Saleh, Senior Presidential Advisor on Peace and Security Lt. Gen. Proscovia Nalweyiso and officers of the High Command among others.