Residents of Kasese municipality are living in fear over the increased livestock theft in the district. The thieves are mainly targeting cattle and goats.
Local authorities say more than 20 goats have been stolen from the Mumbuzi cell within three weeks. Some have been recovered in Kyangumirya village, Mbunga sub-county, Kasese district. The suspect, Bwambale Ramek, was found slaughtering one of the goats.
However, Rameki fled when villagers closed in.
Job Kaminimini, the LC1 of Kyangumirya, says that some animal owners have abandoned the business of rearing for fear of thieves, highlighting that theft is undermining government efforts to eradicate poverty.
Shakira Kabugho, a resident of Nyamwamba, says she lost her goats last month while she was on her way to her late mother’s vigil. She says she had acquired the animals through the Parish Development Model program.
Kabugho further believes that some of these thieves may be local youths who dropped out of school, now spending their days playing games and turning to theft at night.
Vicent Kitya, councilor for Kizungu ward in Nyamwamba division, says there is a need to establish collaborative efforts by the inter-district security teams to address insecurity in the area.
He also suspects that these thieves have collaborators within the community who tip them off when to invade the areas.
Kiguthiya Jafali, the LC1 base camp lower, believes that the cases are partly due to individuals who are unwilling to work. He noted that as leaders, they established village security teams, and a number of animals have been recovered through this kind of coordination.
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