The democratic party has advised the government of Uganda to disarm the local defense unit, a reserve force of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) due to the continued abuse of the gun hence leaving many people innocently killed.
during a press conference at the party headquarters, Mr. Okoler Opio Lo Amanu the Party spokesperson said that the LDUs act unprofessionally because they lack the proper training needed.
“We strongly believe that it is dangerous for members of the Local Defence Units to hold guns while dealing with civilians. the training they acquired makes such weapons not only a danger to themselves but also to the community members subsequently, many lives have been lost due to negligence in the use of guns” he said.
Mr. Opio pointed out some of the reckless killings done by the LDUs such as the killing of the late Robert Kagolo at his brother’s residence and a civilian gunned down in kyengera, Wakiso district in the same week by the same people saying examples like these are reason strong enough to justify the disarmament of the LDUs.
“The two incidents aforementioned form a list of many innocent Ugandans who have lost their lives at the barrel of guns carried by members of the LDUs”
On the issue of the recently newly created cities and Districts by the Government, Mr. Opio advises that the government looks into the problems that come with them such as few and poor housing qualitydestruction of the environment for settlement, lack of claen water and the risk of evictions among other problems before its too late.
“We must work with prevailing legal and institutional frameworks to ensure security of land tanure” Opio said regarding land theft due to developing areas.
