Uganda hunts down Kenyan rustlers
Aug 12, 2007
THE Uganda People's Defence Forces has deployed a battalion in Bukwo district, in the northern foothills of Mt. Elgon, to stem cattle rustling between Uganda and Kenya.
By Alfred Wasike
in Bukwo
THE Uganda People's Defence Forces has deployed a battalion in Bukwo district, in the northern foothills of Mt. Elgon, to stem cattle rustling between Uganda and Kenya.
Bukwo was curved out of Kapchorwa in 2005. To the east and south, it borders Kenya’s Trans Nzoia and West Pokot districts. To the north, it borders Nakapiripirit district, while to the west is Kapchorwa district.
The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, ordered the deployment on Saturday after a security meeting at Amanang Secondary School.
During the meeting, Bukwo residents demanded compensation from the Kenyan government for loss of life and property at the hands of the Pokot warriors.
Nyakairima repeatedly warned the angry residents against carrying out retaliatory raids into Kenya, stressing that Uganda and Kenya had excellent relations. He said the Government had also deployed the police Anti Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) to fight the rustlers.
The Bukwo district chairperson, Reuben Chelimo, recalled that cross-border cattle rustling started in the 1960s. He said his people fear to construct grass-thatched houses because the Pokot have always torched them.
Chelimo reported that in April 2003, the armed Pokot attacked Kaptererewo and Kwirwot parishes in Suam sub-county, killed 34 people, raided livestock, burnt houses, stores and looted property. He said the rustlers returned in September 2003, took 240 head of cattle from Muimet parish, Bukwo sub-county and killed one herdsman.
“In 2005/2006, armed Pokot warriors killed five soldiers, five Mobile Patrol Police Unit personnel including an Assistant Inspector of Police, 23 civilians, took 10 guns and raided 700 head of cattle,†Chelimo told Nyakairima.
Others in the meeting were district leaders, the UPDF 3rd Division commander, Col Patrick Kankiriho, Bukwo Woman MP Everlyn Tete Chelangat, Kapchorwa Woman MP Rukia Chekamondo Kulany and Kongasis MP Jonnson Toskin Bartile.
Chelimo recounted many other attrocities committed by the Pokot before the attentive residents, most of them holding mobile phones.
The residents appealed to the Government to construct roads in the hilly district that is inaccessible during the rainy season. They complained that they have to go through Kenya to travel from one part of the district to another. They also appealed for a hospital.
Nyakairima said the army would provide fuel and asked the district leaders to contribute what they could to open up a 30-km road to the district headquarters.
Meanwhile, Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki last week petitioned his Ugandan counterpart to help flush out alleged Kenyan rebels who are operating from Uganda to attack his people in the Mt. Elgon region.
Kibaki, who was touring the western province, said a group called the Sabaot Land Defence Force (SLDF) cross into Kenya to execute their ill-plans before crossing back to Uganda.
Kibaki told a rally in Kakamega town, “Kenya was working with the Uganda Government with the aim of arresting the culprits.
The Uganda internal affairs state minister Matia Kasaija said Uganda does not tolerate anyone terrorising any of our neighbours and would hunt down the group.
Kibaki’s warning came as two more people were reportedly shot dead in a fierce gunfight between police and suspected members of the SLDF in Mt Elgon District.
The officers also recovered 18 cattle at Cheptor village in the troubled Chebyuk settlement scheme.
More than 30 members of the SLDF have been killed and 400 arrested since clashes started in September last year. Over 200 people have been killed since then.
A senior foreign affairs ministry official in Kampala said Uganda and Kenya have a joint Uganda-Kenya border commission, where Uganda Resident District Commissioners and Kenya District Commissioners meet regularly to discuss border issues.
FacT FILE
The Sabiny, who inhabit Bukwo and Kapchorwa districts and their cousins, the Pokot of western Kenya, have rustled each other’s cattle since the 1960s.
Below are some of the raids reported since then:
In April 2003, armed Pokot warriors from Kenya attacked Kaptererewo and Kwirwot parishes in Suam sub-county, killed 34 people, took livestock, burnt houses and looted property.
In September 2003, the rustlers raided 240 head of cattle from Muimet parish, Bukwo sub-county, killed one herdsman.
In 2005/2006, the Pokot killed five soldiers, five Mobile Patrol Police Unit personnel, including an assistant Inspector of Police, 23 civilians, took 10 guns and 700 head of cattle.
On May 18, 2007, the Pokot attacked Kaptererewo parish again and abducted a resident called Robert Wasswa, who has not been seen since.
Between January and June 2007, the Pokot stole at least 66 animals from Bukwo district.
On June 12, 2007, the warriors attacked UPDF soldiers on patrol, injured two of the soldiers and one civilian from Kabei sub-county.
On July 20, 2007, the Pokot raided 187 head of cattle and three donkeys from Kaptererewo parish, Suam sub-county.
in Bukwo
THE Uganda People's Defence Forces has deployed a battalion in Bukwo district, in the northern foothills of Mt. Elgon, to stem cattle rustling between Uganda and Kenya.
Bukwo was curved out of Kapchorwa in 2005. To the east and south, it borders Kenya’s Trans Nzoia and West Pokot districts. To the north, it borders Nakapiripirit district, while to the west is Kapchorwa district.
The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, ordered the deployment on Saturday after a security meeting at Amanang Secondary School.
During the meeting, Bukwo residents demanded compensation from the Kenyan government for loss of life and property at the hands of the Pokot warriors.
Nyakairima repeatedly warned the angry residents against carrying out retaliatory raids into Kenya, stressing that Uganda and Kenya had excellent relations. He said the Government had also deployed the police Anti Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) to fight the rustlers.
The Bukwo district chairperson, Reuben Chelimo, recalled that cross-border cattle rustling started in the 1960s. He said his people fear to construct grass-thatched houses because the Pokot have always torched them.
Chelimo reported that in April 2003, the armed Pokot attacked Kaptererewo and Kwirwot parishes in Suam sub-county, killed 34 people, raided livestock, burnt houses, stores and looted property. He said the rustlers returned in September 2003, took 240 head of cattle from Muimet parish, Bukwo sub-county and killed one herdsman.
“In 2005/2006, armed Pokot warriors killed five soldiers, five Mobile Patrol Police Unit personnel including an Assistant Inspector of Police, 23 civilians, took 10 guns and raided 700 head of cattle,†Chelimo told Nyakairima.
Others in the meeting were district leaders, the UPDF 3rd Division commander, Col Patrick Kankiriho, Bukwo Woman MP Everlyn Tete Chelangat, Kapchorwa Woman MP Rukia Chekamondo Kulany and Kongasis MP Jonnson Toskin Bartile.
Chelimo recounted many other attrocities committed by the Pokot before the attentive residents, most of them holding mobile phones.
The residents appealed to the Government to construct roads in the hilly district that is inaccessible during the rainy season. They complained that they have to go through Kenya to travel from one part of the district to another. They also appealed for a hospital.
Nyakairima said the army would provide fuel and asked the district leaders to contribute what they could to open up a 30-km road to the district headquarters.
Meanwhile, Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki last week petitioned his Ugandan counterpart to help flush out alleged Kenyan rebels who are operating from Uganda to attack his people in the Mt. Elgon region.
Kibaki, who was touring the western province, said a group called the Sabaot Land Defence Force (SLDF) cross into Kenya to execute their ill-plans before crossing back to Uganda.
Kibaki told a rally in Kakamega town, “Kenya was working with the Uganda Government with the aim of arresting the culprits.
The Uganda internal affairs state minister Matia Kasaija said Uganda does not tolerate anyone terrorising any of our neighbours and would hunt down the group.
Kibaki’s warning came as two more people were reportedly shot dead in a fierce gunfight between police and suspected members of the SLDF in Mt Elgon District.
The officers also recovered 18 cattle at Cheptor village in the troubled Chebyuk settlement scheme.
More than 30 members of the SLDF have been killed and 400 arrested since clashes started in September last year. Over 200 people have been killed since then.
A senior foreign affairs ministry official in Kampala said Uganda and Kenya have a joint Uganda-Kenya border commission, where Uganda Resident District Commissioners and Kenya District Commissioners meet regularly to discuss border issues.
FacT FILE
The Sabiny, who inhabit Bukwo and Kapchorwa districts and their cousins, the Pokot of western Kenya, have rustled each other’s cattle since the 1960s.
Below are some of the raids reported since then: