Ex-LDUs in Bugiri fault government over new recruits

About 250 former Local Defence Unit (LDU) from Bugiri District, who were recruited between 1989 and 1996, have expressed concern over the recruitment of new personnel before government pays their alleged arrears.

In September last year, President Museveni ordered the recruitment of 24,000 LDUs following rampant violence, kidnaps, murders and robberies.

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), in October conducted a drive in which 6,400 LDUs were recruited and deployed in the Kampala Metropolitan Area after undergoing a four-month basic military training.

More recruits
On July 15 this year, UPDF started a two-week exercise to recruit more 13,000 LDU personnel for central, eastern, northern and mid-western districts and a total of 124 were recruited from Bugiri District.

However, some former LDUs on Saturday in an interview said ever since they were recruited in 1989, they have never received any payment, and is the reason they deserted the service and resorted to other activities.

Mr Livingstone Kawanguzi, 71, a former LDU commander in Bugiri District and a resident of Bwole Zone in Bugiri Municipality, said him and 250 other former LDUs, who were recruited between 1989 and 1996, have never received payment.

Mr Kawanguzi, who lost his eye while pursuing Graduated Tax defaulters in Kapyanga Sub-county in 1991, said they worked with Local Administration Police and were attached to the sub-county headquarters to fight lawlessness.

“We also beefed up the UPDF in their pursuit of Holy Spirit rebels led by Ms Alice Lakwena through Bugiri and neighbouring districts including Busia and Tororo.
“We tried to address the matter with government through Ms Justine Kasule Lumumba, the National Resistance Movement party Secretary General, who is also a resident of Bugiri, in vain,” he said.

Adding: “Some LDUs have died without accessing any benefits from government while others lost their legs and are in villages suffering. Let government first look into our problems before recruiting others.”
Mr Stephen Ouma, a resident of Kapyanga Sub-county, who joined the LDU in 1996, said they were each receiving a monthly allowance of Shs30,000 from sub-county chiefs.

Mr Ouma urged government to support and educate the children of former LDUs in appreciation of the services rendered to the government.
“We are not happy and feel we wasted a lot time and energy that we could have used to do other activities such as farming,” he said.

Mr Charles Kakaire, 69, a resident of Bukabooli, Lwemba Sub-county, said some of the former LDU officers are currently farmers and urged government to include them in the Operation Wealth Creation programme to improve their household income.
The Resident District Commissioner, Mr Martin Mugabi, said the matter would be addressed with relevant authorities.

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