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Soroti, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party President, Patrick Oboi Amuriat has asked the government to intervene in the invasion of herdsmen in different parts of the country.
Amuriat who was addressing a press conference at the FDC office in Soroti City on Thursday said that if the government fails to play its role, the party will mobilize communities to take action against the herdsmen, who are now occupying various wetlands in the Teso sub-region.
Amuriat’s call comes days after the Teso local leadership led by the Serere LCV Chairperson, Stephen Ochola expressed concern over the alleged influx of the herdsmen to Agu and Abuket wetlands that serve four districts of Ngora, Serere, Soroti, and Pallisa.
It is reported that several herdsmen have recently crossed to the Teso sub-region and have settled in Kapujan wetland in Katakwi district while others have occupied other grazing land in Agu and Abuket of Ngora and Serere districts respectively.
In Ngora district, more than 2,000 cattle crossed to the district in early February while another group of herdsmen crossed to Serere district with more than 600 cattle.
The Gweri County MP, Tom Julius Ekudo says that the influx of the herdsmen in Teso and other parts of the country is a security concern that needs urgent attention from the government.
During the meeting with herdsmen in Abuket wetland last week, the leaders resolved that no other new herdsmen shall be allowed in the area. The team tasked the mobile herdsmen to ensure that they register with the authorities and cooperate with guidelines, especially on the vaccination of animals against foot and mouth disease currently ravaging cattle in the Teso sub-region.
The influx of mobile herdsmen is not only an issue in the Teso sub-region but also a concern from the Acholi, Lango, and West Nile sub-regions.
Last year, President Yoweri Museveni issued another Executive Order to evict defiant herdsmen from the Acholi sub-region after getting concerns from the leadership there.
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