UPDF reveals identity of dead State House guard

On Tuesday Private Christopher Karugaba started off the day normally. He had breakfast, got a brief from his superiors and headed for deployment.

His usual deployment is at the outer perimeter guard post of State House, Entebbe. However, on this fateful chilly morning, duty came with a dark-lining.

Karugaba and other Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers attached to Special Force Command (SFC), the elite guard brigade that protects President Yoweri Museveni, were on Tuesday morning struck by lightning at about 6:30am.

According to Maj. Chris Magezi, the SFC spokesperson, the two injured soldiers, who he declined to name, are currently undergoing treatment at Entebbe Hospital.

"So it was an unfortunate incident but one of the many hazards or weather related this time that active soldiers face from time to time. The soldier who died is Private Karugaba Christopher. The injured ones are recovering well and would be discharged soon," he said.

Karugaba, who joined UPDF in 2009 at the age of 25, studied at Rutooma Secondary School in Bushenyi district and Nkumba University, Entebbe.

Magezi said yesterday that Karugaba's family had already been notified and burial arrangements are underway. 

"We are still working on the burial arrangements with his family and we shall notify the public in due course," he said.