Nakasongola, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Residents of Mwolwe village in Nakasongola district have impounded 23 heads of cattle belonging to a Uganda Peoples Defense Force (UPDF) officer in protest that the animals have been eating their crops for the last two years.
The heads of cattle are kept on part of the land belonging to Nakasongola army barracks but always stray to residents gardens outside the barracks and feed on food crops leaving the residents crying foul.
The impounded cattle allegedly belong to Major Jimmy Kabira Mukuba, formerly attached at Nakasongola army barracks.
Charles Bisaaso, the LC 1 chairman of Mwolwe village in Wabinyonyi sub county says that the cattle had caused damage to crops for the past two years and they appealed to commanders of the barracks to take action.
Bisaaso said that on Saturday night, the residents resolved to launch an operation to impound the cows till they are compensated. He says that in the two days, the cattle were caught feeding on food crops belonging to eight families.
He adds that the affected residents have demanded compensation worth 2.5 million shillings from Major Kabira before releasing them.
Robert Mbazira, one of the affected residents says that the cattle destroyed his maize and cassava crops leaving his family at risk of food insecurity. Mbaziira adds that the heads of cattle have been impounded but released four times. Mbaziira says that they are fed up and they won’t be intimidated by guns to release them unless they are shot dead.
On Sunday afternoon, there was a standoff between the manager of the cattle identified as Muzoora Balusi and residents over the compensation demands before the heads of cattle are released.
Muzoora had offered a compensation of 500,000 shillings but residents rejected the offer. URN couldn’t reach Major Kabira for comment.
Retired Lieutenant Sam Kigula, the LC 5 Chairman of Nakasongola said he was not yet aware about the particular incident but he knew a number of officers own cattle and graze them on part of the land belonging to the barracks.
“Nakasongola army barracks occupies square miles of land and officers are allowed to graze on it because part of it is idle. I didn’t know that there are stray cattle that damage food crops for residents but will follow up with concerned commanders” said Kigula.
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