Suspected cattle rustlers from South Sudan on Saturday morning made incursions into Akuromo parish in Orom sub-county, Kitgum district for the second time in less than a week and disappeared with 42 cows.
Earlier this week, they also raided the same sub-county and took away 50 heads of cattle.
The LCIII chairperson of Orom sub-county, Quirino Olum, says the army is following up the rustlers. He says the animal footmarks are pointing towards the direction of South Sudan.
According to Olum, residents in the area are now living in fear as they believe more attacks could be coming soon. He also notes that many residents cannot go to their gardens for fear of being attacked.
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He has appealed to the office of the Resident District Commissioner to provide security for the locals. Olum says if the district security committee does not intervene, he will mobilize the people to close the access route for the Sudanese.
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The chairperson says the locals are also threatening to stop the Sudanese from crossing to Uganda to do business.
The acting Kitgum Resident District Commissioner, Dan Manano has not yet commented on the latest incursions. Attempts to get clarifications from him proved futile as his known contacts were not available.
Earlier this week, Olum told journalists that he was pushing for the resolutions made last year to stop cattle rustling to be implemented.
In 2011, local leaders from Namokora, Adilang and Orom sub counties that are being affected by the cattle rustlers came up with 17 recommendations to avert the problem.
The recommendations included encouraging cultural visits between the communities of Acholi and Karamojong to forge a good relationship that is sustainable and durable.
The leaders also agreed to flash out some notorious Karamojong warriors who have abandoned their homes and settled in various hills bordering Acholi Sub region.
They recommended fixing of sign posts on all the border lines of Acholi and Karamojong and blocking the gaps between mountains that serve as entry and exit points of the cattle raiders.
They further suggested that the District should open a prison farm at the border especially on Orom side to act as a buffer zone.
The leaders also called for regular security meetings between the two communities of Uganda and South Sudan at the border.
Lamwo RDC Alfred Omony Ogaba noted that the changing environment in the affected areas called for increase in the military presence and an increase in police deployment which the government would look up to as an urgent matter.
