UPDF urges Northern farmers to stop bush-burning for security operations

19 February 2026, 9:14 am

By Bondry Kilenga

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), attached to the 5th Infantry Division, has urged farmers in the northern districts of Abim, Kitgum, and Agago to abandon the traditional practice of seasonal bush-burning, citing its detrimental impact on the military’s “Dumisha Usalama” (Protect Security) campaign against cattle rustling.

Captain Ibrahim Ssekitto, Public Information Officer for the 5th Infantry Division, warned that uncontrolled fires create obstacles that hamper troop patrols and mobility.

Crucially, Ssekitto explained that burned, open landscapes provide rustlers with clear routes to drive stolen livestock out of the region, undermining recovery efforts.

He noted that the practice, traditionally used for hunting, land clearance, and pest control, now conflicts with modern security and environmental needs. Burning bushes accelerates soil erosion and destroys natural vegetation that acts as a barrier against criminal movement.

Despite this challenge, Ssekitto reports a recent period of calm, with no cattle raids recorded in the region last week. He added that significant success has been achieved in recovering stolen livestock, noting that 104 herds of cattle and 34 goats have been recovered so far this year.

The operation has also led to four cattle rustlers being neutralised and the recovery of one AK‑47 rifle with three rounds of ammunition, a cache of traditional bows and arrows, and three mobile phones believed by investigators to have been used to coordinate the raids.