Africa-Press – Uganda. The third Division Commander, Major General Don Nabasa, has issued a warning to leaders, urging them not to exert pressure on security forces to release suspects who have been arrested for committing offenses.
Nabasa conveyed his concerns during a meeting held on December 23, 2023, in Amudat district, which brought together joint security forces and leaders from Amudat district and West Pokot in Kenya.He highlighted instances where leaders had personally appealed for the release of criminals despite the recovery of firearms in their possession.
The major general pointed out that the increase in insecurity within the district could be attributed to the killing of civilians, loss of livestock, and the ambush of soldiers by Pokot warriors in August 2023.
The soldiers were tracking the raided livestock when the incident occurred.
In addition to his cautionary message, Major General Nabasa urged the Pokot community, through their leaders, to take advantage of the Presidential amnesty and voluntarily surrender any firearms in their possession.
Failure to comply would lead to serious consequences from the security forces.
He also emphasized that herders were permitted to graze their animals as long as they were not armed.
Lobot Joseph Nangole, the LCV Chairperson of Amudat, expressed his concern about the influx of herders from neighboring districts in search of water and pasture, which disrupted the previously peaceful environment in the district.
He further highlighted the challenges posed by the porous border with Kenya, making it difficult to track and recover stolen animals once they cross into Kenya.
Titus Lotee, the Member of Parliament for Kacheliba Constituency in Kenya, expressed his community’s readiness to cooperate with the government.
He appealed to the security forces to allow both the Pokot communities from Kenya and Uganda to freely graze their cows in Uganda.
John Michael Okurut the Resident District Commissioner of Nakapiripirit, acknowledged the need for resource sharing between the Pokot communities from Amudat.
However, he emphasised the importance of respecting territorial integrity and called for the demarcation or regulation of grazing areas by the governments of Uganda and Kenya.
Okurut also highlighted the necessity for West Pokot security forces to attend security meetings, considering that some warriors killed during raids were found wearing Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) uniforms.
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