amwo County MP Johnson Kezekia Nyeko has called on the governments of Uganda and South Sudan to urgently intervene to stop what he described as growing cattle raids by armed South Sudanese rustlers along the border.
Nyeko said the raids are threatening the security of communities in Lamwo Constituency, which borders South Sudan, and could damage the relationship between the two countries if not addressed.
Speaking to Bbeg Media at Parliament, Nyeko said several cattle belonging to Ugandan farmers had recently been stolen by suspected South Sudanese cattle rustlers.
“We are deeply concerned that these South Sudanese cattle rustlers have invaded our communities and stolen many cattle. However, our people managed to fight back,” Nyeko said.
He said the confrontation between the communities and the suspected rustlers resulted in the death of one person, while some of the stolen cattle were recovered.
According to Nyeko, the situation escalated when the suspected rustlers returned with more than 40 armed fighters.
He said residents later realised that the attackers were heavily armed and were using tactics aimed at surrounding communities living around the mountains in the border area.
Nyeko said the residents reported the matter to the army commander responsible for the Uganda-South Sudan border, seeking intervention to prevent further attacks and recover the remaining cattle.
The MP called on the South Sudan authorities, particularly the army and local authorities in border communities, to investigate the raids, identify cattle belonging to Ugandan farmers and facilitate their return to Uganda.
He said recovering the cattle and preventing further raids would help protect the lives and property of communities living along the border.
Nyeko warned that continued cattle raids could also affect the long-standing relationship between communities in northern Uganda and South Sudan.
He said insecurity along the border could discourage potential investors from putting money into infrastructure and industrial projects in the region.
The MP specifically cited planned investments in areas such as road infrastructure and cement manufacturing, saying such projects have the potential to create jobs for local people and generate revenue for the government.
Nyeko said insecurity could undermine these opportunities if authorities fail to contain the situation.
He said the issue should be treated as a matter of national importance because the border communities depend on peaceful relations and cooperation between Uganda and South Sudan.
Nyeko said he would use Parliament to push for government intervention if the situation continues.
He said he would raise the matter during a plenary sitting and bring it to the attention of Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oboth-Oboth so that the government can respond to the security concerns along the border.
