Investor escapes death in ambush, UPDF corporal killed

MOROTO - An ambush by suspected warriors from Kenya left one Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) soldier dead, and a local defence unit personnel with serious injuries on Monday. 

The incident happened in Moroto, six kilometres from the Uganda- Kenya border as the duo escorted a local investor, who was assessing marble sites at Naput village, in Rupa sub-county. 

The attackers, believed to be Matheniko and Turkana warriors, took off with an AK47, which belonged to the Ugandan soldier. 

The 3rd Division Army public relations officer, Maj. Peter Mugisa, confirmed the incident, which comes after several other attacks in the Karamoja mining area. 

Mugisa said the investor who survived the ambush is one of the owners of DAO Marble mining company, formerly owned by Egyptians. 

Mugisa said the investor had picked the two soldiers to escort him to check on his site that is yet to be developed at Lopetakwang detachment, located at Nakiloro village. 

"The three fell in an ambush that claimed the life of the soldier, while the LDU officer was injured," Mugisa said, adding that the army was on the hunt for the suspected killers on the Uganda-Kenya border. 

Mugisa did not disclose the identities of the victims, saying investigations into the case were ongoing.

 Mugisa also expressed concern over the recent attacks in the community and on the UPDF detachments in the area, saying the army will not rest, until the region is peaceful. 

In an earlier incident, gunmen attacked Nakabat gold mining area and killed three people, while scores were left with injuries when the army intervened to rescue the miners. 

Meanwhile, the Tepeth Member of Parliament in Moroto district, Albert Lokoru, has condemned the attacks on the army and local communities and appealed to the army to intensify its activities on disarmament.