Press/slma
President Museveni the commander in Chief of armed forces has met the military high command at State House Entebbe to discuss the insecurity in Karamoja region.
Ms Linda Nabusayi the presidential press secretary says the military high command discussed the successful handling of several pandemics including COVID 19, Locusts, Operation Shujaa and the security situation in Karamoja region.
The joint security forces are currently conducting forced disarmament exercise codenamed Usalama Kwa Wote against criminals with illegal guns in Karamoja sub – region.
The operation involve forceful cordon and search operations, and those found with illegal guns are prosecuted.
The operation Usalama Kwa Wote to secure Karamoja was last year beefed up with more troops , 02 helicopters, K9 police dogs and armored vehicles, among others.
The first phase of the operation that started on 13 July 2021 saw the recovery of 105 guns, 1046 Rounds of Ammunition, 7726 animals recovered and handed over to the rightful owners, and about 350 criminals convicted and sentenced.
The joint security forces have been reinforcing the guidelines regarding livestock movement to stop theft and sensitizing people on the requirements for the legal acquisition of livestock.
Several UPDF detaches have been established along the Karamoja borderlines to curb the rampant cattle rustling in the region that has hit new heights in the last three months.
Last month in March, Kenyan cattle rustlers shot dead three geologists from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and two UPDF soldiers.
The incident happened at Kubebe area, Lokisilei Parish in Lotisan Subcounty Moroto District when the three geologists were killed together with their army escorts.
The civilian victims were Edna Musiime from Makerere University, Richard Kiggwwe, the lead geologist and his colleague, Charles Olweny.
Kenyan government has since handed over some of the guns stolen from the UPDF soldiers. Kampala has since demanded for the handover of the killers by Nairobi counterparts.
Source: Command Post
