UPDF No longer Has Capacity To Defend Us – Besigye

Posted by: Suubi Anne in Uganda news April 16, 2022

Former President of Forum for Democratic Change, FDC party, Kiiza Besigye has said UPDF no longer has the capacity to defend Ugandans.

He said this following the deployment of UPDF soldiers to fight the African armyworms, which have so far destroyed 13,000 acres of crops and rangeland.

He says it’s very unfortunate to see UPDF being deployed to fight armyworms. The people of Karamoja sub-region are having sleepless nights amidst the ongoing cattle rustling and the killing of innocent people.

“While Arrow Boys militia group is mobilizing in Teso to defend their communities from marauding cattle rustlers. While the insecurity in Karamoja continues to consume many lives daily; all, because UPDF doesn’t have capacity on the ground,” said Besigye.

Warriors from both within and from neighboring Kenya have caused insecurity in Karamoja by stealing animals but also killing people, including security personnel.

Turkana warriors shot dead two UPDF soldiers and three government geologists and two of their guns taken last month.

Around the 2000s, the army had disarmed gun-wielding rustlers. The ongoing peace has been distorted however because the rustlers have rearmed.

They have been acquiring guns from across the porous border between Kenya and South Sudan and resorted to their old habits.

Meanwhile, the worms are already in more than 40 districts. These worms are majorly affecting crops such as maize, millet, sorghum, wheat.

They are also affecting pastures and authorities have observed that they feed on sugarcane. The invasion was first reported in March.

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