Besigye: "Karamoja is burning but UPDF is now fighting army worms"
Former leader of Forum for Democratic Change(FDC), Dr. Kizza Besigye, has claimed that the Uganda People’s Defence Forces(UPDF) doesn’t have capacity anymore to defend the people of Uganda.
Besigye’s remarks follow the deployment of UPDF soldiers to fight the African army worms, which have so far destroyed 13,000 acres of crops and rangeland.
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The worms, which are already in more than 40 districts, are majorly affecting crops such as maize, millet, sorghum, wheat, as well as pastures and it has been observed that they feed on sugarcane. The invasion was first reported in March.
Besigye said this is very unfortunate to see UPDF being deployed to fight army worms and yet the people of Karamoja sub region are having sleepless nights amidst the ongoing cattle rustling and the killing of innocent people.
“While Arrow Boys militia group is mobilising in Teso to defend their communities from marauding cattle rustlers. While the insecurity in Karamoja continues to consume many lives daily; all, because UPDF doesn’t have capacity on the ground,” said Besigye.
In the recent month, warriors from both within and from neighbouring Kenya have wreaked havoc in Karamoja by stealing animals but also killing people, including security personnel.
Last month, two UPDF soldiers and three government geologists were shot dead by Turkana warriors and two of their guns taken.
The sub-region enjoyed a period of relative peace after the army disarmed gun-wielding rustlers in the early 2000s. However, the rustlers have rearmed, acquiring guns from across the porous border in Kenya and South Sudan and resorted to their old habits.
Rampant cattle theft in Karamoja has led to insecurity and loss of lives in the seven districts of the sub-region.
The government launched a fresh disarmament campaign last year. However, this has so far failed to stop the rampaging rustlers. The disarmament exercise has also drawn allegations of human rights violations.
Museveni recently said the situation in Karamoja can easily be dealt with and he is also expected to camp in Karamoja in a bid to find lasting solutions to the problem.
