Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Adolf Mwesige has pledged to deal with the newly- deployed Local Defence Unit (LDU) personnel who extort and brutalize Ugandans.
Mwesige asked whoever has evidence which clearly shows that they have been brutalized by LDU personnel, to report the case to police. The police will forward the file to the army to investigate the matter.
His remarks follow those of Police spokesperson Fred Enanga who on Monday while in the weekly press briefing urged citizens who have complaints with LDUs to report their cases to the force
“We have received complaints that LDUs are mishandling and brutalizing people. As Uganda Police Force we don’t support that. However, we cannot just act, I encourage members of the public to use their tactics and record every LDU that tries to violate your rights and we shall act accordingly. But we are very proud of the LDUs,” Enanga said at the Police headquarters in Naguru.
Last year, Uganda Peoples Defence Forces under the directive of President Museveni recruited LDUs with the intention of enhancing security at community level.
Having completed their training in March, the 6,000 LDUs were deployed in different places in Kampala and Wakiso, where they have been accused of terrorizing residents.
On Tuesday, while briefing journalists on the progress of the implementation of the 2016-2021 National Resistance Movement (NRM) manifesto, Mwesige said these acts will be investigated.
“We shall not tolerate any bad acts amongst the LDUs and I can confirm to you that the army will investigate allegations of extortion and brutality by the newly-deployed Local Defence Unit (LDU) personnel in Kampala Metropolitan Area,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the move to fulfil the NRM Manifesto Mwesige said that his ministry has so far implemented 75 per cent.
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