By Emmanuel Olinga
The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) have impounded 20 cattle belonging to Tom Olaka, the LC3 Chairperson of Namalu Sub-county in Nakapiripirit District, after the footmarks of stolen cows were traced to his herd near Angisa in Magoro Sub-county, Katakwi District.
On March 25, 2025, ten cows belonging to Emmanuel Ojakol, a resident of Kareu Village, Opete Parish, Magoro Sub-county, were stolen by suspected Karamojong raiders.
The thieves reportedly drove the animals toward Karamoja, prompting security forces to track them.
The trail ended at the herd of LC3 Chairperson Olaka, leading to the impoundment of 20 cattle from his kraal as part of the investigation.
Denis Alaka, the Information Officer (IO) of the UPDF’s Wiski Battalion, said the impounded animals included cows without any body marks and others with rope imprints on their legs, features commonly used by the Iteso people to identify their animals.
These details will assist in identifying the stolen cattle.
Maj. Simon Gidudu, Commander of the Wiski Battalion, emphasized that security has now adopted a new strategy: any kraal where the footmarks of stolen cattle end will have animals impounded for investigation.
This, he said, is aimed at curbing the rampant cattle theft in the Teso region.
Following the impoundment, herdsmen working for Chairperson Olaka attempted to recover the 10 stolen cows and brought 13 cattle to the authorities.
However, only one was positively identified as belonging to Emmanuel Ojakol, while the rest could not be accounted for and may have been lost in transit.
So far, the UPDF has impounded a total of 97 cattle from Karamoja as part of a broader operation to recover stolen livestock, an initiative that Maj. Gidudu says is yielding promising results.
Chairperson Tom Olaka has called for a more coordinated and transparent process in tracing stolen livestock.
He urged security forces to properly follow the footmarks and consult with local leaders before impounding animals, to avoid wrongful accusations and community tension.
Vincent Savior Okwi, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Katakwi and Chairperson of the District Security Committee, stated that authorities are committed to stopping livestock theft in the region.
He noted that when animals are stolen, footmarks are followed, and wherever the trail ends, cattle at that location will be impounded for verification.
He also appealed to locals to be vigilant, report thefts promptly, and avoid exaggerating the number of stolen animals, which complicates investigations.
Katakwi LCV Chairperson Geoffrey Omolo expressed concern that most cattle thefts reported in Katakwi appear to originate from Nabilatuk and Nakapiripirit.
He called for intensified security measures to address the growing vice.
On April 23, 2025, the Katakwi District Security Committee, comprising the RDC, LCV, and LC3 leaders from Nakapiripirit and Nabilatuk, held a meeting and agreed to return the recovered cattle to their rightful owners on Monday, April 28, 2025.
Cattle found to belong to LC3 Chairperson Olaka will be returned to Nabilatuk, while those identified as stolen will be handed over to their owners in Katakwi.
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