LDUs back due to increased crime

Local Defence Unit (LDU) personnel who were recently sent to the 1st Division barracks in Kakiri, Wakiso district for a refresher course, are to be redeployed in the communities.

Sources revealed that during the training, the LDUs underwent civil-military relations training and were cautioned against soiling the name of the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF), of which they are part.

Several senior army officers, including the deputy commander Land Forces, Maj. Gen. Sam Kavuma and the chief of staff Land Forces, Maj. Gen. Leopold Kyanda, gave lectures to the LDUs on improving the UPDF's image.

In his lecture on August 5, Kyanda urged the LDUs to work towards being citizens of with a reputable image. "In UPDF, we have no space for any form of indiscipline; there is no amount of indiscipline that is small to us.

Mere abusive language or an annoying gesture at the civilians is too grave an act for one to do. You must work towards correcting these mistakes as you conduct your operations," Kyanda was quoted as saying in a statement from the defence spokesperson's office.

Operation Upon redeployment, the LDU operations will be carried out only at night and alongside the Uganda Police Force personnel, revealed the defence spokesperson, Brig. Flavia Byekwaso.

In a statement, Byekwaso noted: "Owing to the withdrawal of the LDUs from active operations to go for refresher training, the level of criminality has since increased, especially during the night."

Byekwaso explained that this was after local leaders and the general public on several occasions petitioned security leaders to re-engage the LDUs in order to contain the situation. LDUs will not participate in the daytime enforcement of COVID-19 directives.

Byekwaso implored the public to co-operate and support the security forces in the noble duty of ensuring that every Ugandan is safe from any threat and all acts of criminality.

There are over 20,000 LDU personnel, who were recruited and trained for six months before President Yoweri Museveni passed them out two years ago.