UPDF to withdraw soldiers from aspirants who misuse them

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda People’s Defense Forces-UPDF has warned politicians who were given armed protection against using them for purposes other than those they were given them for. 

In a statement issued by the UPDF spokesperson Brig. Flavia Byekwaso, the army said it has noticed that MPs across the political divide who were given military escorts for their personal security in the wake of armed criminality, are using them to settle their political scores.

A number of legislators were given escorts after the shooting of then Arua municipality MP Ibrahim Abiriga in 2017. At the time, the country had witnessed a number of violent killings mainly involving Muslim clerics. But according to UPDF, the officers are now being used in partisan activities. 

“This is contrary to the reason, they were assigned and is likely to involve them in compromising yet unnecessary and avoidable violence between the contending political groups. For this reason, the UPDF leadership directs that the soldiers should not be misused and where this is found to happen, they will be promptly withdrawn,” the statement says. 

The UPDF warning comes at a time when soldiers of different candidates are getting involved in fights with political opponents. Such cases have been cited in Sembabule district where armed guards belonging to Shartsi Kutesa, the daughter to Minister Sam Kutesa and those of Godfrey Aine, the young brother to President Museveni both competing for Mawogola north constituency, were involved in fights on behalf of their principals.

Similar cases have been cited in Lwemiyaga County where the incumbent Theodore Ssekikubo is tussling it out with Minister Joy Kabatsi. Clashes have also been recorded in Kassanda district, Hoima district, Kazo district, Wakiso district among others.

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