Overview:
In a statement on Saturday, Aswa West Police spokesperson ASP David Ongom Mudong said the arrests followed a joint operation by the Amuru District Territorial Police and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
Police in Aswa West Region have arrested six suspects in connection with the theft of 105 head of cattle belonging to former East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Speaker, Dan Kidega, in Amuru District.
In a statement on Saturday, Aswa West Police spokesperson ASP David Ongom Mudong said the arrests followed a joint operation by the Amuru District Territorial Police and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
The theft reportedly occurred on 12 February 2026 at Ocibi “A” Village, Bana Parish, Lakang Sub-county. The suspects currently detained at Amuru Central Police Station have been identified as Kuzara Ezra, 32, of Kamuli Village in Kibanda Sub-county, Rakai District; George Talemwa, 22, of Ocipi Village, Lakang Sub-county; and Nathan Ihangana, 27, of Mukageta Village in Lyantonde District. Other detainees are Gred Kakuru, 33, of Mutukula Village in Kyotera District; Stephen Kairanga, 25; and Emma Agaba, 30, both residents of New York Village, Bana Parish, Lakang Sub-county.
Preliminary investigations indicate that herdsmen entrusted with the care of the cattle allegedly orchestrated the theft. Police say a key suspect, identified only as Denis, alias Sebabanda, is believed to have coordinated the transportation of the stolen animals using trucks and remains at large.
Security agencies have launched a manhunt to apprehend him. According to ASP Mudong, UPDF soldiers intercepted the stolen cattle on 13 February at Ajok Village in Bana Parish as the suspects attempted to cross the River Nile.
A total of 84 head of cattle were recovered, while 21 remain missing. Authorities said joint security forces are continuing operations to recover the remaining animals.
The theft comes amid the ongoing implementation of Executive Order No.2, which began on 28 May 2025 and directs the eviction of migrant cattle keepers from Northern Uganda. As of December 2025, authorities had evicted 53,160 head of cattle belonging to migrant herders.
Police also noted that cases of cattle theft have increased in Amuru District, attributing the trend to the growth of commercial livestock farms, which they say have made the area a target for thieves.
ASP Mudong urged farm owners to strengthen security measures, including hiring trustworthy herdsmen and fencing farms, in line with presidential guidelines.
Last month, 11 armed South Sudanese bandits reportedly looted 354 head of cattle from migrant cattle keepers grazing near River Unyama in Atiak Sub-county. Security authorities in Eastern Equatoria State recovered 236 of the animals and returned them to Amuru district authorities earlier this month.
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