The countrywide recruitment of Local Defense Unit (LDUs) that started on July 15, 2019, attracted an unprecedented number of applicants, mainly male youth aged between 19 and 30 years of age.
The reason for their recruitment was to curb a spate of murders and heightened insecurity that rocked Kampala, parts of Wakiso and Entebbe in 2017 and 2018.
Residents especially young women were disappearing on a weekly basis. Some would be kidnapped and later on found murdered and dumped in thickets.
This and other insecurities prompted President Museveni to direct the recruitment of 13,000 able-bodied men and women across the country to bolster numbers of Reserve Force for Uganda Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF)
Fast forward to this year, LDUs have killed many more people than those that we're being murdered mysteriously.
LDUs continue to torture Ugandans; they have aimed their rifles, shot at and mutilated citizens all in the name of enforcing COVID related restrictions.
Today, opposition leader Honorable Robert Kyagulanyi aka #BobiWine penned on his Facebook, a list of peaceful citizens that have died at the hands of the Local Defence Unit personal.
Vincent Serungi, a resident of Wakiso town was shot and killed on March 31st 2020.
Margaret Nanyunga, an 80-year-old woman was murdered when LDUs raided her home on 1st April 2020 in Kyengera.
Wilber Kawano, a Boda Boda rider was shot dead by policemen in Budaka district on April 18th 2020.
In Jinja, Evelyn Namulondo was shot dead by the LDU and Charles Sanga, a businessman died after he was violently attacked by soldiers and police officers on the orders of the RDC.
On May 13th 2020, Eric Mutasiga, a primary school headteacher in Mukono was shot by the LDUs as he pleaded with them not to shoot a chapatti seller. He later succumbed to his injuries.
In Kasese, Benon Nsimenta a father of eight was shot dead by a soldier on June 24th 2020.
In Oyam, the LDUs beat up a 65-year-old man and killed him last week. The list is endless and the list of those who are nursing gunshot wounds is even longer.
And now, as we all struggle to get to terms with Hussein Walugembe's miserable death, reports come in indicating that Emmanuel Tegu, a third-year Veterinary student at Makerere was beaten to death by LDU.
"How many mothers, fathers, children and siblings must cry and wail before this blood bath comes to an end? This cannot and MUST NOT GO ON. We pay these people to protect us and not to kill us. Each one of us is a potential victim. And yet, the solution is in our hands." Bobi Wine Lamented.
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