The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A series of shootings by armed personnel from different security units have been attributed to provocation and frustration.
The comments come at the backdrop of incidents of suicide and wanton shootings by police, local Defence unit personnel and private security guards in recent months. Such shootings have claimed the lives of seven civilians and five police officers over the last six months.
Only last week, a Police Constable, Bernard Wakuma, attached to Very Important Person’s Protection Unit –VIPPU allegedly ended his life using his own gun. Using the weapon entrusted to him, to secure Ugandans and their properties, Wakuma ended his life from Pastor Robert Kayanja’s home in Makindye division.
The incident came barely a week after Constable Ben Langoya, attached to Ntungamo police station was found in a sitting position in a pool of blood with a big wound on the head. In September, two constables Ernest Kasadha, attached to Buwuni police post in Bulesa sub-county in Bugiri district and Wilson Kalungi attached to Filed Force Unit –FFU in Lwengo district terminated their lives.
In Rubaga, a UPDF soldier Peter Okia was arrested in September for killing his colleague Leonard Chebet. Another UPDF soldier, Private Jonan Katusiime, committed suicide minutes after killing his unit commander, Sargent Peter Ouma, at Jinja Bridge.
Barely three weeks ago, LDU personnel killed their commander Corporal Simon Emuron, after an alleged disagreement in Kisekka market. This incident came on the heels of ongoing investigations of LDUs who had killed civilians; Jimmy Ssetumba, a car dealer in Rubaga division and Samuel Odukur, a resident of Buyala, Wakiso, among others.
On the basis of the Buyala incident Maj Yusuf Katamba, the spokesperson for UPDF First Division that oversees LDU operations, says sometimes the personnel have been provoked. He says that Odukur, the victim of the Buyala shooting had a panga and was charged to hack LDU personnel.
A senior police officer at Naguru police headquarters argues that based on the conditions in which junior police officers live, it is not surprising that sometimes, they opt to end their lives or vent on civilian populations.
“We are all living an unpleasant life but theirs is worse. FFU [Field Force Unit] have been dumped to upcountry places for so long. They tend to believe they have been abandoned. Some of them, their families were evicted from barracks and they are now renting,” she said.
At least 3,000 non-police officers were evicted from various police barracks among others Naguru, Kakiri and Nsambya. Police said they had caused congestion in barracks and barracks were turned into markets and bars.
Grace Matsiko, a security analyst insists that that focus should now be on continuous assessment of individual character. Matsiko says even if a person is given the best training in the world, he or she would still go unprofessional if not regularly counselled or engaged.
Psychiatrist, Morris Osire says that there are several factors forcing security officers to end their lives. Osire says that some people are frustrated at work, in their homes and sometimes it is because of failure to achieve desires and lack of someone to offer support.
Makerere University is currently conducting a study on whether some officers have mental issues that could be triggering their weird conducts.
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