MP Okumu Claims On UPDF Irk Col Oketta

By Justin Moro THE UPDF 4th Division in based Gulu will not be compromised on matters of national security, Col. Julius Oketta, the northern regional reserve commander, has said. In a press briefing on Sunday, Oketta, who represented the division commander, Brig. Henry Tumukunde, said the UPDF was disturbed by allegations made that morning on Radio Uganda by Reagan Okumu, the Aswa County Member of Parliament. Major Paul L'Okech, the division operation and training officer, and the public relations officer, Lt. Khelil Magara, attended. Reagan Okumu (pictured below) was reported as saying, the "UPDF 4th Division has been and still is firing big guns intentionally to threaten and intimidate presidential candidates' campaign team in Gulu." But in the statement, Oketta said that the army "leadership has professional commanders and shall remain neutral in the politics of this nation and will protect the Constitution and abide by the will of the people." It added, "Nobody should transfer his inability and lack of consistency in mobilising the masses to impose his cause on the army," the statement said. "Since campaigns began, we have been getting a lot of negative utterances in rallies and over the media about the army, including abuses meant to ridicule and intimidate senior commanders in the 4th division from Hon. Reagan Okumu," it added. Ends