Vice President Jessica Alupo, also a woman Member of Parliament Katakwi district, has reassured residents of the government’s commitment to restore total peace and security in Karamoja and all neighboring districts.
The Vice President made the remarks while addressing Christians during Easter prayers at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church on Easter Sunday and St. Paul Anglican Church on Easter Monday, all in Katakwi district.
She told the congregation that communities of Teso, Bugisu, Ssebei, Lango, Acholi and Karamoja sub-regions that have been affected by the re-insurgence of cattle thefts and to some extent cattle raids should expect an immediate end of the predicament as security has been heightened in the area with versatile UPDF deployments.
Alupo emphasized that the situation has been studied comprehensively by government, discussed by security forces under the leadership of President Museveni, and practical comprehensive interventions have been designed and are being implemented.
She added that at the regional level, the situation is further being handled bilaterally as it overlaps to Kenya and South Sudan.
The Vice President advised residents to keep calm and also continue with their normal activities as members of the security led by the UPDF handle the security situation.
She encouraged members of the public to be vigilant by reporting any collaborators of cattle rustling to the security forces.
Also commenting on the recently launched livestock compensation program by H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Alupo said the program is progressing well with records from the office of the Attorney General, and Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs indicating that over 2000 people from Lango, Acholi and Teso have already been paid.
She explained that names of those claimants who have been paid will be channelled to their respective districts to keep the local governments updated.
Alupo said the process of payment is in phases but will gradually cover all the affected claimants as H.E the President directed during the launch.
The Vice President further implored all the residents of Teso to support the parish development model and invited all local leaders to her PDM sensitization meetings which she was due to carry out in all the three counties of Usuk, Ngariam, Toroma, in Katakwi district.