By KT Reporter
Atleast 492 heads of cattle have been reported stolen in seven months in the spate of thefts that have rocked the Savannah Region.
The most affected district is Nakasongola, followed by Nakaseke and Luwero.
James Karemera, a resident of Kimaga village in Nabiswera sub-county, one of the victims of the thefts, explained that in February 2025 thieves stole two heads of cattle from his farm, and he has never recovered them.
Karemera says that the thieves released all the heads of cattle from his kraal at night before they captured two and disappeared with them.
Godfrey Karugaba, another pastoralist at Walusi village in Nabiswera village, said he also lost two heads of cattle to thieves in January 2025, and he has tried to look for them as far as the Hoima district in vain.
Karugaba, however, questioned how the thieves could transport cattle heads to Kampala or Hoima city through highways that have police checkpoints manned.
Dan Bizimungu, another pastoralist at Butiiti village, says that they are living in panic over rampant cattle thieves, which may affect the district’s largest business.
Bizimungu said that as a result of the thefts, they have formed vigilante groups in villages to arrest the key suspects behind the crime.
Sam Kigula, the LC 5 Chairman of Nakasongola district, said that the fight against cattle thefts has been hampered by corruption tendencies in the judiciary, Police and the Veterinary Office among other stakeholders.
Kigula said that the 492 heads of cattle reported stolen are fewer compared to those that went missing in communities because some residents don’t bother to report to the Police over loss of trust in the judicial system.
On Thursday, pastoralists and the District Security Committee meet at JYRA Petrol Station gardens in Migyera town to discuss how to end the rampant thefts.
Sam Twiineamazima, the Savannah Regional Police Spokesperson, revealed that Police have been able to recover 310 out of 492 heads of cattle that were stolen from the region from September 2024 to March 2025.
Twiineamazima added that the Police were able to arrest a notorious cattle thief, Ronald Masembe and his group, which was behind several cases in the region.
Masembe, a resident of Busula trading center in Luwero district, is currently on remand at Nakasongola Prison after he was charged with five counts that include aggravated robbery, conspiracy to commit a crime and cattle theft.
Twiineamazima said the Police have enhanced checkpoints at the highway and police station through the new sub-county model to respond immediately in case a cattle theft is reported.
Michael Kasigire, the Savannah Regional Police Commander, urged the pastoralists to report the cases of cattle thefts in time to enable Policemen to track thieves using their sniffer dogs now deployed in each district.
Kasigire also asked pastoralists to report suspects to the Police because many are part of the communities where they live.
According to the Annual Crime Report, atleast 143 cases of cattle thefts were reported in Nakasongola in the year 2024, and the district ranked in fifth position with the highest cases across the country.
In the same report, 91 cases of cattle theft were reported from Luwero district and it was also ranked in 14th position with the highest cases across the country-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
