Nabilatuk: Residents protest livestock raids, block Moroto highway

Business this morning (Thursday) come to a standstill at Lorengedwat town council in Nabilatuk district Karamoja sub-region as the locals demonstrated against the continuous stealing of their livestock by the armed Karimojong rustlers.

The residents blocked the main highway that connects Moroto, Nabilatuk, Nakapiripiripirt and Amudat paralyzing public transport.

Betty Tebanyang, one of the residents said the protest was the only option for them to show their dissatisfaction with the failure by government to protect them from the armed rustlers.

Ms Tebanyang further complained that the army deployed on the ground have proved a failure in protecting the people of Lorengdwat with their livestock, “leaving the rustlers playing with our property”.

“ We are trying to run away from Lorengedwat to go to our brothers in Amudat but still the rustlers who are mainly from Moroto district have kept on disturbing us, raiding our animals,” she said.

Mark Icumar the local chairperson of Lorengedwat village said the ongoing cattle rustling has adversely affected the household income of the people of Lorengdwat Sub County.

“People can’t go to the gardens, even the small chicken kept at home is taken by rustlers and we are wondering why government is silent on this issue,” he said.

Peter Lokol, a taxi driver on Moroto – Nakapiripirit route said the locals could not allow any vehicle to pass, adding that the attempts by soldiers to chase them away failed. By 9.00m the road was still blocked by the locals.

Mr. Micheal Longole the Karamoja police spokesperson said the police was dispatching the team to go and clear the road and also talk to the community.

Mr. Paul Lokol the district chairperson Nabilatuk said the security situation has left the region paralyzed and called upon the government to address the matter.
Yesterday (Wednesday) about 10 Lories including mambas full of armed soldiers entered  Moroto ahead of deployment to curb the increasing insecurity.

We learnt that the additional troop deployment comes after the series of meetings between Karamoja leaders and president Museveni over the general insecurity situation in the region.