Army rubbishes high desertion rate allegations

By Umaru Kashaka        

The Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) has rubbished allegations that 1000 soldiers are deserting the army annually.

Speaking to New Vision Wednesday, the UPDF spokesperson, Lt. Col. Paddy Ankunda said the number has been exaggerated and thorough investigations need to be carried out before a specific figure is given.

“The figure is on the high side and even exaggerated. Otherwise Uganda would have no soldiers by now if it was true,” he said.

He was responding to claims by the defence committee led by the vice-chairperson, Simon Mulongo, that while the defence leadership strives to maintain morale and welfare of its forces, 1000 soldiers are deserting the army annually.

“The high desertion rate of 1000 annually is extremely dangerous as it contributes to the increased crime rate and also depletes strength of the UPDF, especially at the time of operational need,” the Bubulo County East MP said.

Mulongo made these remarks while presenting a report of the defence and internal affairs committee to the budget committee on the medium term expenditure framework for financial year 2013/14- 2017/18.

He said reasons for desertion are many and range from target enlistment, unsatisfactory health care package, bad leadership, perceived discrimination and most importantly, poor pay.

“Such challenges would offer little reason to serve in the national armed force and when opportunity occurs, such soldiers slip away to their homes,” he noted.

The defence committee, he added, recommended that an additional sh20b be allocated to the wage component of the minister of defence budget for 2013/14 financial year to check desertion and address wage related challenges.

The Fort Portal municipality MP Alex Ruhunda said the issue of desertions was extremely alarming and could not go unnoticed.

“It’s extremely alarming to have over 1000 UPDF deserts every year. This can’t go unnoticed because they are clear rules of dealing with deserters,” he said, before adding: “So where are they going? Could the increase in crime rate be the result of deserters? UPDF should be accountable for this abnormal situation.”
 
At least 400 soldiers, among them 37 members of the presidential guards, responsible for protecting President Museveni, deserted the UPDF over the past six months, the highest number of reported desertions in the history of the army since 1995.
 
The UPDF chief political commissar, Col. Felix Kulayigye, recently told the press that the army deserters are being detained in different regional army facilities using Internal Security Organsiation operatives at the sub-county levels and police.