The UPDF is likely to launch a full scale invasion in Karamoja Region to curtail violence propagated by cattle rustlers.
In a veiled message from the UPDF Commander Land Forces (CLF) Lt. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Karamojong have refused to adhere to calls to stop attacking their neighbours.
“My Karimojong brothers! We have begged you to stop the life of robbery and violence. We have begged you to stop attacking your neighbours but to no avail! You have refused all our appeals! Well, now we are coming and hell is coming with us!” Muhoozi tweeted.
His comment comes after the killing of three geologists and their 2 UPDF escorts.
Security in Moroto District have recovered five bodies belonging to three geologists attached to Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and two Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers who were attacked by suspected cattle rustlers in the Karamoja sub region.
The geologists, one of whom was an intern identified as Edna Musiime from Makerere University, are said to have been attacked and killed alongside their UPDF escorts on Monday afternoon as they were conducting mineral mapping in the area.
The other victims were identified as Richard Kiggwwe, the lead geologist and his colleague, Charles Olweny. The soldiers are yet to be identified.
They had been assigned to pick soil samples from Lokisilei village in Lotisan Sub County in Moroto District. They were attacked about 40 kilometers away from Moroto town.
The rustlers are said to have also taken two guns from the deceased soldiers.
According to Brig Joseph Balikudembe, the UPDF 3rd division commander, the geologists and their security escorts were attacked “out of ignorance” by the suspected rustlers who have been wreaking havoc in the sub region for years.
He said the translator who was in the geologists’ company explained to the suspected armed rustlers their mission but his words fell on deaf ears as the assailants opened fire at them.
“The translator managed to flee to his safety but the geologists being new on the ground had no option but to accept to be killed in cold blood, “he said.
He said security forces are pursuing the assailants and that they will be apprehended because they can easily be tracked.
