The UPDF has apologized for the continued Local Defence Unit (LDU) brutality that has left many dead and others injured as public anger grows . Security sources have intimated to ugandaupdatenews.com that President Yoweri Museveni , the Commander in Chief of the armed forces was furious and has since ordered for a review of the training and deployment of the wayward LDUs who have turned into a public nuisance causing suffering to many lives.
On July 7, 2020, an errant patrol squad of LDUS beat up the LCV Chairman for Mityana District Mr Joseph Luzige an incident that led to wide condemnation among local governments leaders and the general public .
Luzige was assaulted as he tried to save a sick woman from being harassed by LDU men in Mityana municipality. The UPDF spokesman, Brig. Gen Richard Karemire said that the army regreted the gross act of indiscipline by the LDUs noting that it is not characteristic of the UPDF as a people’s army.
“We wish to restate that discipline remains a core value and bedrock on which the UPDF was founded. Anyone who deviates from this will always be punished according to the established laws. There are examples to prove this in the recent past like a soldier in Kasese was sentenced to 35 years imprisonment and an LDU personnel was yesterday sentenced to life imprisonment all because of unprofessional conduct,” Gen. Karemire stated .
The army condemned the brutality meted out against Luzige a senior political leader. Four of the rowdy LDUs have since been arrested and will be charged in the military court. They are L/Cpl Anguria Simon Peter, Pte Odeke Simon, Pte Musundi Caroline
and Pte Okello Isaac.
The army also sent a team of senior leaders that include; Maj Gen Sam Kavuma, the Deputy Commander Land Force (D/CLF), Maj Gen Sam Kawaga, 1Div Comdr and Maj Gen Henry Masiko the Chief of Political Commissar (CPC) to Mityana to make an on spot assessment and confer with both the district leaders and the district security committee.
“The UPDF wishes to reiterate its full commitment and loyalty to the people of Uganda and will always remain subordinate to the civilian authority as provided for under Article 208 of the Constitution.
There is no need to lose heart over these incidents. A comprehensive review of these deployments to enforce anti-COVID 19 measures is soon to take place and we expect better results,” Karemire stated.
