Africa-Press – Uganda. Former cattle rustlers, under their umbrella group, Reformed Warriors Youth Network, have attributed the increase in cattle rustling cases to the Covid-19 pandemic, which they say have crippled their new sources of livelihood.
Before the Covid-19 outbreak in the country, the group visited communal kraals where they sensitised the karacunas (youth) on the dangers of livestock rustling, through music, dance, and drama.
However, this has not been possible in the last two years because of the standard operation procedures (SOPs) imposed by government to curb the spread of the pandemic.
In an interview with Daily Monitor last Saturday, Mr Lokiru Apapulemokole, a resident of Kidepo Village, Lotisan Sub-county in Kaabong District, said Covid-19 dampened the gains they had registered as a group.
“As a group, we had embraced small businesses like buying cereal and livestock and selling them but when the Covid-19 induced lockdown was put in place, all that stopped,” he said.
Mr Apapulemokole added: “We tried to apply for Emyooga funds to leverage our gains but the money has eluded us, though we are still waiting.”
Mr Lokoru Magat, a resident of Lokutum Village in Moroto District, said government asked them to form groups in order to receive Emyooga cash but the bank accounts they opened remain dormant.
He added that the small capital from their previous saving initiatives in 2019 was exhausted in the last two years.
“Some of us have nothing to show now. We are trying to eke a living through mining marble but even their payments are not immediate,” Mr Magat said.
Mr Martin Ngorok, a resident of Aterio Village in Moroto District, said after handing over his weapon in 2005, he joined the boda boda business but it has not been doing well.
“I tried buying sorghum grain and delivering it to Soroti but transport became so expensive and my business collapsed. The situation is even worse for us now because of the drought,” he said.
Issue
Mr John Akiki Adupa, the director of the Reformed Warrior Youth Network and Lotisan Sub-county chairperson, said some of the reformed rustlers have returned to a life of crime because of desperation.
“The skilling classes and adult classes like tailoring and other entrepreneurship skills have not been possible in the last two years because we can’t hire skilled persons to teach the warriors. The adult literacy centres, where the warriors were taught basics in mathematics, writing and reading have been abandoned,” Mr Adupa said.
He added: “I ask the government to look into the Emyooga funds promised to the reformed warriors.”
Mr Adupa said the group has about 150 members.
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