Capt Mukula attacks government over Arrow Boys
AMURIA. The NRM vice chairman for eastern region, Capt Mike Mukula, has criticised government’s failure to recognise contributions made by the Arrow Boys millitia group. Capt Mukula said the group played a key role in flashing out the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels in 2003.
He has faulted government for failure to award medals to the militia group in Teso that fought alongside the country’s national army, the UPDF in 2003.
“As a leader of Arrows Boys militia, I blame the government that I serve for not rewarding them with medals and yet I see government giving out medals to different groups of people across the country,” Capt Mukula noted.
This was during the recent funeral rites service of the Tito Elanyu minister Musa Ecweru’s grandfather, at Wera Sub-county in Amuria District.
According to Capt Mukula, who previously served as chairman of the Arrow Boys, government should initiate income generating projects or programmes for the group and also award them with medals as a way of motivating them.
“This way, government will have recognised their effort in returning peace and stability in Uganda,” he said.
About the militia
The Arrow Boys militia was formed in 2003 to boost the efforts of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces [UPDF] to fight an invasion by the Lord’s Resistance Army rebels in Teso Sub-region.
But the militia was disbanded after government failed to clear their allowances.
In 2014, 12 senior UPDF officers accused of embezzling Arrow Boys salary arrears were, however, convicted and handed sentences ranging from three to five months in prison.
However, Capt Mukula commended the Minister for Disaster Preparedness, Mr Musa Ecweru, for his tremendous contribution towards the fight against the LRA rebels incursion in the sub-region.
