KAMPALA – A section of Opposition Members of Parliament has poured cold water on President Museveni’s plan to deploy 24,000 Local Defence Unit (LDUs) forces in Kampala and Wakiso to combat the rising spate of killings in the country.
During his national address on Sunday evening, the President announced that government is set to spend Shs57 billion on the deployment of the LDUs as a temporary measure to beef up security numbers in Kampala and its suburbs to curb the killings following the murder of former Buyende DPC Mohammed Kirumira.
And now, a cross-section of MPs have said the President’s proposal is escapist and will create more problems in the long run.
Outspoken Buyaga County MP Barnabas Tinkasimire said the LDUs have in the past masterminded murders.
“He made a suspect proposal; why deploy LDU’s whose record in this country has been wanting? We deployed them and saw the consequences; they masterminded heavy killings and robberies. You want to bring them at a time when we are about to go into 2021 campaigns,” he said.
“I suspect he is actually arming his supporters to harass anybody who will oppose him. He knows well that Bobi Wine lives in Kampala, you will see genocide masterminded by these LDUs,” he added.
Busiro East MP Medard Lubega Sseggona said: “Arming crime prevents and LDU is going to create genocide in our country. It is going to create more insecurity in the country, it is not a good thought.”
Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Sekikubo said the President is recycling the tested and failed systems.
“You cannot all the time be on trial and error. Now, what new magic will the LDUs’ and reserve force come with?”
“I think the President is simply making political statements to give the public some sort of comfort, but before he can answer what is causing all this, he will have every answer wrong,” he added.
The opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party also said the deployment of LDUs is not the solution.
Addressing journalists at the FDC headquarters offices in Najjanakumbi on Monday, the party president, Mr Patrick Amuriat, said the country has had LDUs and crime preventers before but the gruesome killings have continued.
“President Museveni needs to put his house in order before he starts talking about deploying LDUs in the city. We have seen military in the city patrolling the streets of Kampala hence doing the job slated to be done by police. Therefore, trying to introduce another new force is an indictment on the existing operatives. There is nothing that Military and police have failed to do that the LDUs can fix. He should examine his intelligence, army and police force and there should be a discussion with key players on the security of this country,” Mr Amuriat said.
“Will recalling the crime preventers and LDUs stop guns being in the hands of wrong people? As far as we know, unless you are licensed to have the gun, it is the preserve of security institutions to have guns, so Mr Museveni should tell us where the guns killing our people are coming from. For one to cure a disease, he needs to know which disease is affecting that person or an animal and I do not think Mr Museveni knows it,” he added.
