FDC faults Museveni on LDUs, to probe killings

President Museveni

Kampala- The Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party has poked holes in President Museveni’s order to recall Local Defence Unit (LDUs) and crime preventers to deploy in Kampala and Wakiso districts following a string of murders by unknown gunmen using motorcycles.

This followed Mr Museveni’s speech where he revealed that he has ordered for the deployment of 24,000 LDUs to ensure that criminals are stopped following the killing of Assistant Superintendent of Police Muhammad Kirumira and a female occupant Resty Nalinya on Saturday evening.

Addressing journalists at the FDC headquarters offices in Najjanankumbi, Kampala, yesterday, the party president, Mr Patrick Amuriat, said this was not the first time the country was using LDUs and crime preventers yet the gruesome killings have continued.

Mr Amuriat said before Kirumira’s killing and other high profile people in similar manner, there were no signs of murders abating, saying government should rather concentrate on controlling guns than arming more forces.

Futile efforts
“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 one is affecting that person or an animal and I do not think Mr Museveni knows it,” Mr Amuriat said.

“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 for police. Therefore trying to introduce another new force is an indictment on the existing operatives,” he added.

Mr Amuriat said FDC would conduct a private independent inquiry into the killings, asserting that the government has failed to bring to book the real suspects.

“The government is deliberately reluctant on telling us who murdered the women in Entebbe and Nansana, Muslim clerics, police officers and politicians in the outskirts of the city. We are going to conduct our private investigations until we get to the bottom of this. This is a serious matter and no political party can sit back when this is happening,” Mr Amuriat said.

“We are already receiving offers from experts who want to perform a duty for their country at no cost,” the FDC president added.