As the clashes between the Madi and Acholi raged on in the district of Amuru, the Acholi Members of Parliament accused the Police and the UPDF of aiding the crisis. According to Members of Parliament from Acholi sub-region, there was proof that the UPDF were involved in the clashes that left eight people dead and others injured. But UPDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Richard Kalemire refuted the allegations, saying the UPDF couldn’t get involved in such and was only supporting the Police. “We wish to totally deny these very false accusations and categorically state that at no time has UPDF been involved in participating in these clashes.” Said, UPDF Spokesperson.
Last Wednesday, a group of Madi and Acholi tenants clashed over the 42km2 land which the Madi claimed ownership. The Madis were believed to have raided Apaa village using pangas and spears before shooting others with arrows, leaving six people dead and 32 others nursing deep wounds in Lacho hospital. The UPDF Spokesperson decried the ongoing clashes saying; the people of Acholi and Madi should have found a better way of resolving the conflict rather than attacking each other. “That should not really have caused communities that have lived together for years to pick arrows and kill each other. There is always room for conflict resolution or misunderstanding and these rules are clearly spelled out in our laws. There are local leaders and national leaders to whom these people could have gone to instead of picking arrows and kill each other.” Said, UPDF Spokesperson.
Kalemire also denied allegations that the Uganda People’s Defense Forces was using its soldiers to forcefully evict people off their land in parts of Mubende and Nakaseke among others. “UPDF can never be misused, we have a clear code of conduct, and we have a clear chain of command that guards us in whatever we are doing. Issues of land do not in any way belong to the UPDF. So it’s not true that the UPDF is involved in any land grabbing.” Said, UPDF Spokesperson.
This came days after the President and also Commander in Chief, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni during his State of Nation Address warned the public and particularly Members of Parliament against attacking the Uganda People’s Defense Forces. There have been a lot of disagreements in the past month between security forces and the public, with the public accusing the security forces of not being fair and just in the way they handle most of the cases. Do we see a time in the future where the public will ever agree with the security forces?
