UPDF Accused of Seizing Kenyan Cattle

The Uganda People's Defense Forces is accused of illegally impounding animals belonging to Kenyan Pokot pastoralists in the new district of Amudat. The Kenyan Daily Nation newspaper reports today that the UPDF confiscated the animals from more than 3,000 families. The families had crossed into Uganda in search of pasture. The newspaper quotes Samson Angiro, one of the herders, who said their cattle were confiscated in retaliation for a cattle raid committed by another community. Patrick Nyongesa, the Kenyan North-rift Valley Regional Manager, said 3,645 families whose cattle were seized by the UPDF are in urgent need of relief aid. However the UPDF says the seized cattle belong to Pokot of Ugandan origin who crossed into Kenya to dodge the forceful disarmament exercise. Henry Obbo, the Third Division Army Spokesperson, says the army has 300 heads of cattle, which were recovered from Ugandan Pokot cattle rustlers in Nakapiripirit district. Obbo says the cattle in Namalu Sub-county in Nakapiripirit, were raided by the Pokot of Uganda from Pian County. Obbo claims the army intercepted the rustlers as they tried to sneak the animals into Kenya. Obbo says the cattle will be handed over to the local leadership of Amudat, who will in turn screen them and hand them over to their rightful owners. In the Daily Nation report, Samuel Pongisho, Kenya's Information Minister, accused Uganda of mistreating the Kenyan pastoralists. He said the Kenyan Embassy in Kampala has taken over the matter and wants the intervention of Kenya's foreign affairs Ministry.