MBARARA! Shoot Livestock Thieves, Street Light Vandals, Mp Bakashaba Tells Security

By Amos Tayebwa

MBARARA — Mbarara City North MP Christopher Bakashaba has urged security agencies to shoot livestock thieves and people vandalising street lights, arguing that tough action is needed to deter crime and protect communities.

Bakashaba made the remarks while addressing stakeholders during Mbarara City’s budget conference, where he raised concerns about the resurgence of livestock theft and the destruction of public infrastructure.

He said thieves had resorted to slaughtering stolen cows, goats and sheep on farms before transporting the fresh meat in milk cans to markets, a practice he said required decisive intervention from security agencies.

“I ask the security to put a deterrent and just shoot them. I speak it publicly, and it is okay with me. If you don’t put a deterrent to show the public that this can happen, those thieves will keep threatening and disorganising the communities,” Bakashaba said.

He cited farmers who use money from the Parish Development Model (PDM) to purchase goats and other livestock, only for thieves to slaughter the animals and steal the meat.

MP Christopher Bakashaba during the press conference

“Someone gets the PDM money and buys his or her goats, then the thief comes in and slaughters them, takes the meat. I pray that when that person is arrested, let him be killed and somebody will learn from that,” he added.

His remarks come months after police in Mbarara reportedly arrested two suspects following the interception of a vehicle transporting meat. The operation reportedly uncovered meat from about 39 slaughtered cattle allegedly stolen from farms in the Biharwe and Sanga areas.

Bakashaba also called for similar action against people vandalising street lights in Mbarara City, warning that the destruction of the installations undermines public safety and infrastructure development.

He pointed to the Entebbe Road Bypass, where he claimed street-light vandalism stopped after people were killed in the area, and urged security agencies to adopt what he described as a similar approach in Mbarara.

Some of the animals which were recently slaughtered in Mbarara City

“Let us use tough actions. Some people are vandalising our street lights in Mbarara City. I see that on the Entebbe Road Bypass, when they killed some people there, no one has ever touched on the street light again. The same thing should be done here,” he said.

“I am not the President, but the order that was made on the Entebbe Road Bypass should also be done here. You just shoot them; they will learn,” Bakashaba added.

His call for lethal force raises questions about the use of force in enforcing the law, as security agencies are expected to operate within the law when apprehending suspects and protecting public property.

The remarks were made during a budget conference held at Adit Mall in Mbarara City, where city authorities presented a proposed Shs64 billion budget for the 2026/2027 financial year.