By Olandason Wanyama

THE UPDF on Sunday recovered three guns and 150 head of cattle from suspected Pokot raiders.

The UPDF 3rd division spokesperson, Capt. Deo Akiiki, on Tuesday said Kenyan authorities allowed Ugandan forces to pursue the rustlers into their country, adding that the army arrested three suspected raiders from Alale division.

At the beginning of this year, over 20 members of the Kenyan armed forces, with the help of UPDF, recovered cattle stolen by suspected Matheniko warriors from Loima district in the Turkana region.

Akiiki said the ever-growing relations with Kenya would help curb cattle rustling that has delayed the development of Karamoja region.

Earlier on, the same warriors had on Friday ambushed a vehicle belonging to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, critically injuring one woman and killing three UPDF soldiers.

Akiiki said the incident happened along the Nakapiripirit-Amudat road as the warriors were crossing to Kenya with the stolen animals.
The statistics team is in Karamoja region to map the area for the next census.

The incident occurred when the staff had completed the exercise in Kaabong district and were heading to Nakapiripirit district.

The UPDF 3rd division commander, Brig. Patrick Kankiriho, said both countries should allow free movement of forces. “Colonial borders should not stop us from ensuring the peace and security of our people,” he said.