President Museveni is expected to visit the Karamoja Sub-region following the increasing incidences of cattle rustling, murders and a general atmosphere of insecurity that has yet again permeated the area.
The Speaker of Parliament, Ms Anita Among, yesterday told Members of Parliament (MPs) that the President was expected in the region today, a message reiterated by Minister of State for Internal Affairs, Gen David Muhoozi.
But when this publication spoke to State House officials, the deputy Presidential Press Secretary, Mr Faruk Kirunda, confirmed the President’s programme but gave no specific dates.
Another source close to the developments, however, revealed that Mr Museveni’s visit could be on April 20.
A statement released by State House yesterday revealed that the President met with the High Command, and discussed the insecurity in Karamoja, where Mr Museveni said no cow should be stolen and that government would work on the roads in the region to facilitate security operations.
“The cattle rustlers are not a big problem. Nobody should be stealing cows. I want us to make a law criminalising cattle rustling,” he said
The visit by the Commander-in-Chief comes on the heels of the re-emergence of insecurity in the sub-region, spilling over into neighbouring areas, such as Teso, Lango, Acholi, Sebei, among others.
Last month, three geologists and two UPDF soldiers were killed, prompting the commander of Land Forces, Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, to declare “hell” on the perpetrators.
But during yesterday’s plenary sitting, the House adapted a resolution of Parliament, urging government to stop cattle rustling and restore peace, security and stability in the sub-regions of Teso, Lango, Acholi, Karamoja, Bugisu, and Sebei.