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The Ugandan army has announced the start of a recruitment exercise for Local Defence Unit (LDU) personnel after a directive by President Museveni.
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After the heartless murder of former Buyende District Police Commander, ASP Muhammad Kirumira early this month in Bulenga, President Museveni announced a move aimed by government to recruit 24,000 Local Defence Unit personnel to stir up security in the greater Kampala area.
In a statement released by the UPDF spokesperson, Brig. Richard Karemire, the army has announced it will commence the recruitment exercise for Local Defence Unit personnel from September 25 to October 1 2018.
“In fulfillment of this directive, the UPDF announces that the recruitment exercise for Local Defence Units ( LDU ) personnel from the districts of Mukono,Kampala and Wakiso will take place starting on 25 September to 1st October 2018,”reads in part a statement by Brig.Karemire.
“Details of this exercise shall be communicated through various media houses.”
Addressing the country about the state of affairs on September 9, Museveni said the problem of urban crime is becoming big and is worrying many people in the country.
The president explained that government will deploy both crime preventers who will be first vetted by their LC1 leaders and reserve force to be recruited into LDUs that man towns and will help fight insecurity and urban crime.
“Kampala has 1000 villages and we shall fill them with man power and our guns will answer these criminals. We shall see which guns have more effect.”
This means that on average, each village in Kampala will have 24 LDU guards.
In the statement by the army spokesperson, all those to be recruited as LDUs must be citizens of Uganda and in possession of National Identity cards.
“They must be healthy and medically fit; ready to undergo medical and physical body check up and a road run test endurance and body fitness,” says the statement adding that medical, mental and physical fitness will be checked at the recruitment centre as well as the training school.
The army also insists that those willing to join the recruitment exercise must be between 18 and 35 years of age and should have a minimum formal education of Primary Leaving Examination (P7) level certificate to S.4 and without any other formal employment.
“Letters of recommendation from LC1 chairpersons, LC1 secretaries for defence, PISO, DISO and GISO duly signed are a must. Recruits must have no criminal record and must be residents of the area.”
Museveni said government has been forced to deploy a new method of fighting urban crime apart from the usual methods.
“These pigs (criminals) don’t know the elephants they are fighting with. They have done it repeatedly and I have ordered for mobilization of 24,000 LDU personnel. We are also going to recall reserves to man towns,” he noted.
He insisted that the police is still using old methods to detect and fight crime, but said the new method will help fight crime in urban areas where it has not been easy.
“It’s going to cost us more money to a tune of Shs 57bn but will ensure security is tight. It will go on for a year until cameras are installed. This is the NRM way to handle things like we did in the bush.”
He also emphasized the use of modern techniques including CCTV cameras and drones to help fight crime especially in urban centres.
Installation of CCTV cameras in major areas of the city kicked off recently and according to police, a total of 3233 cameras on 1248 sites which is part of the program to install 5552 all over the country.
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