Pokot herdsmen from Kenya and armed raiders from Uganda engaged in a two-hour gun battle on the night of January 10 in eastern Uganda, resulting in the death of three Pokot herders and four Ugandans. The Pokot, pastoralists who measure wealth in the number of animals they own, claimed the raiders wore Ugandan People's Defence Force (UPDF) uniforms and drove off more than 1,200 animals in a raid in Trans-Nzoia and West Pokot districts.
In response to the raid, Trans-Nzoia District Commissioner Christopher Musumbu and the Kenyan government protested to Ugandan authorities and increased security forces at the border. The Ugandan government confirmed the involvement of its troops in the raid, apologized to the Kenyan government, and stated that they would pursue the attackers.
A 2002 USAID report on the conflict across the border of Uganda and Kenya points out that cattle raiding to restock herds has been ongoing for generations, but that these raids have become increasingly violent, in part due to the proliferation of automatic weapons and reduced access to resources and other sources of wealth. Armed forces, politicians, and businessmen have become involved in raiding, stealing cattle and selling them to make a profit.
Pokot leaders expressed their concern that Ugandan soldiers were able to cross the border and steal animals essentially unchallenged by Kenyan forces. They also urged the Kenyan government to ensure that their animals are returned. People in the region fear more attacks and worry that the incident will slow local development projects.
