Gen. Tumwine-Angina issue will be sorted — UPDF

POLITICS       

The Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) has weighed in on the public clash between security minister Gen. Elly Tumwine and the deputy co-ordinator of Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), Lt. Gen. Charles Angina, saying it will be resolved accordingly. 

According to the UPDF spokesperson, Brig. Richard Karemire, the contradictions will be handled according to the National Resistance Army/UPDF method of operation. 

"NRA/UPDF has always relied upon its trusted methods of work while handling such contradictions.  This will equally be sorted out accordingly," Karemire said. 

On Friday, Tumwine intervened in the long-standing land wrangle, which pits businessman Godfrey Kirumira against Dr Ben Khingi, a surgeon at Mulago Hospital, who is also Angina's close friend. 

"I received a call that Angina, together with the Kampala Metropolitan Police Field Forces Commander, senior superintendent of Police, Rashid Agero, had brought graders at 3:00am and were destroying a hotel wall belonging to Kirumira," Tumwine said. 

He further explained that he was shocked when he visited the scene to find that bulldozers were razing down a hotel wall that had existed for many years.

According to a widely circulated video on social media, Tumwine castigated Angina for superintending over the destruction of Kirumira's perimeter wall, saying his actions were contrary to the code of conduct of the UPDF. Tumwine also cautioned Angina against dragging the army and Police into personal conflicts. 

"Why do it at night and not during the day?  Do not abuse our forces. Have you heard? We all have wrangles and disagreements, but we do not use the force like this. We have worked so hard to preserve the image of our force and this is a small matter that should be handled amicably. It should have been Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) doing enforcement, not you," Tumwine said. 

In the same video, Angina keeps on replying, "yes, sir," to Tumwine's caution.

Over the weekend, Angina declined to speak on the matter, saying: "I respect my seniors." Commenting over the land, Kirumira says he bought the property in question in 1999. Although Khingi says he bought the land from a bank in 2017, a source privy to the matter told New Vision when the dispute first broke out last month that it is Angina who sold off the land to Khingi.