Cattle robberies which sparked national outcry few years back following tribal clashes among some Kurya clans in Tarime district, has started to emerge in some villages of the neighboring Rorya district, posing a threat to the lives of villagers in the district. The recent visit in villages such as Buganjo and Gamasara bordering the two districts has discovered that, owners of cattle have to spend the whole night staying awake while keeping watch at their livestock within their compounds in order to curb with any possible attack by unpredictable cattle rustlers. This new approach of beefing up security has come amid the disappearance of the long maintained peace accord which has started to threaten residents in both districts following the bad habits being shown by some untrustworthy youths who are mostly engaged in cattle robberies. Sources confirmed during an exclusive interview that, they are ought to spend the whole night awake keeping watch to their livestock that they fear might be stolen by thieves. Deus Ngera, the chairman of the Nyasebe hamlet in Gamasara village in Nyandoto ward said that, cattle theft is a periodical occasion which occurs unpredictably an aspect that force them to stay alert all the time to deter intruders from breaking into their compounds with intent to steal their livestock. In view of this, cattle owners have to keep guard in secret corners throughout the night to save imminent loss of their livestock and other valuable properties from being stolen. Josephat Atero, alias Ogenga who is one of the elders of Buganjo villagers in Bukwe ward in Rorya district said in an exclusive interview that, there has been a number of robberies which has been happening in his village related with cattle rustling, but have managed to suppress them. He confirmed that, they have managed to beef up security and saved a number of cattle which are normally taken across the country to the neighbouring Kenya for sale. However, he confirmed the number of 25 cattle which were recently stolen and later caught and returned.
Confirming the incident, the special zonal Police Commander for Tarime/Rorya region, SACP Justus Kamugisha said that, rustlers use quire tactics in a bid to accomplish their planned mission through which they organize into successfully committing a crime. He said in an exclusive interview that, the police force in the region has managed to suppress such crimes from happening by help of villagers who have responded effectively to the call of community policing programme, a move initiated by the police force in the country. Following the situation, he has alerted residents in mostly troubled areas which are notorious of cattle rustling to cooperate effectively with the police immediately in a bid to suppress any possible attack that might occur for sabotage. Elaborating on the new security approach in the region, the Officer Commanding District (OCD) for Rorya district, ACP Lazaro Benedict Mambosasa said in a telephone interview on Wednesday this week that, the programme in his district has helped them to intensify security. He said that, security in the district is a concern of everyone and therefore, people’s involvement is a most important aspect. However, he disclosed that, his district has adopted the move which to a greater extent has helped to keep security for livestock in the district. Commander Lazarus disclosed that owners of cattle have undertaken a new form of beefing up security at their homes, an approach which to a greater extent has helped to maintain security as well as identify thieves in the region. Investigations has established that the situation which started in recent two months ago has also alerted special police force in the region which collaborates together with the people to ensure maximum security of their properties around. In 2009, the government decided to transform Tarime/Rorya districts into special police zone in efforts to stop the clashes and rampant cross border cattle rustling in the area. Formation of special police zone in Tarime has helped to restore peace and police has been using documentation of strategies that helped to eliminate or reduce the rate at which theft is growing so that the region could be a safe place like other areas in the country.
No comments:
Post a Comment