Wealth will only be realized if we make robbery a ‘risky business’

What the report says

In a commentary published by The Independent Uganda on August 30, 2026, Obed K. Katureebe argues that Uganda’s wealth-creation agenda will be undermined unless theft becomes far riskier and more costly. The piece frames livestock theft, crop stealing and related rural crime as a major barrier to poverty reduction, saying these offenses are discouraging farming and animal rearing in parts of the country.

Katureebe cites President Yoweri Museveni’s long-running wealth promotion programs, including Entandikwa, Operation Wealth Creation, NAADS, Emyooga, the Youth Livelihood Fund and the Parish Development Model, and says they have helped improve economic conditions. The commentary also refers to official and international data suggesting poverty remains significant, though it presents these figures as evidence of progress rather than failure.

As an example of the problem, the article points to a recent police arrest in Mbarara, where three suspects were intercepted with meat from allegedly stolen cattle and goats. It says the incident reflects a broader pattern in the cattle corridor and other farming areas, where farmers are increasingly vulnerable to night harvesting, animal theft and losses that can push households back into poverty.

The writer calls for tougher laws, harsher sentences and stronger enforcement to deter theft and corruption, including among police and judicial actors. The broader point is that rural economic growth, in the article’s view, depends not only on production programs but also on protecting the assets people use to build wealth.