The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party president, Patrick Amuriat, and Members of Parliament Joan Alobo (Soroti City Woman), Jonathan Ebwalu (Soroti City West), and Julius Ekudo (Akobo County) have been arrested following a protest in Soroti demanding government compensation for lost cattle.
The leaders, under the slogan “No Cow, No Vote,” were protesting the government’s failure to fulfill its promise to compensate livestock lost during past insurgencies.
The demonstration, which was to include prayers at the Public Gardens in Soroti City, was met with heavy police deployment that blocked the venue.
Security forces intercepted and arrested the leaders before they could address the crowd.
Several supporters who attempted to join the protest were also dispersed by police using tear gas.
Speaking before his arrest, Amuriat said that the government has ignored the suffering of cattle keepers in Eastern and Northern Uganda, despite previous commitments to compensate them.
“People lost their livelihoods, and to date, the government has turned a deaf ear. If they do not compensate our people, they should not expect our votes,” he stated.
Soroti City West MP Jonathan Ebwalu and Soroti City Woman MP Joan Alobo also condemned what they called the “selective compensation policy,” arguing that while other regions had been compensated, the Teso sub-region had remained neglected.
Efforts to reach regional police commander Damalie Nachuha were unsuccessful.
However, supporters have vowed to continue pushing for compensation.
As tensions rise, it remains unclear whether the government will respond to these demands.
