Steven Candia
2 September 2008
Kampala — EAST African ministers in charge of the police have signed a protocol to combat cattle rustling in the region. The protocol was signed by 10 out of 11 ministers at the end of the 10th Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation (EAPCCO) held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
"This was after the realisation that cattle rustling is one of the biggest problems in the region," said Police chief Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura who had just returned from the meeting yesterday.
EAPCCO is made up of 11 member states. All the other countries, except Eritrea, signed the protocol. It was established 10 years ago.
Cattle rustling in Uganda is rampant in the north and north-eastern regions, involving mainly the Karimojong warriors and the Pokot from Kenya.
The one-week workshop, which kicked off with the technical committee meetings, followed by that of the police chiefs and the council of ministers, also noted drug trafficking, trading in small arms and light weapons, human trafficking and theft of motor vehicles as some of the worst crimes affecting the region.
The meeting, among other issues, sought to strengthen joint regional operations and the Interpol sub-regional bureau in Nairobi, with the support of the Interpol headquarters.
It also sought to assess the implementation of resolutions to facilitate the exchange of best policing, Kayihura said.
In a bid to counter motor vehicle thefts, given that many stolen vehicles end up in the region, it was agreed that member states do more research before another joint operation similar to Operation Umoja in which hundreds of stolen vehicles were impounded.
"Plans are underway to customise the motor vehicle clearance certificate to guard against buying stolen vehicles and avoid the inconveniences that come with it," Kayihura said.
At the same meeting, it was agreed, Kayihura said, that Uganda hosts the inter-police games in January 2009.
The regional meeting was opened by the Director General of the Ethiopian Federal Police, Workneh Gebeyehu, who underscored the need for concerted efforts by member states to combat existing and newly-emerging cross-border crimes.
Gebeyehu noted that crime was claiming human life and causing untold suffering in the sub-region.
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