Dear UPDF, institutions are made up of people

Dear UPDF,

One of your soldiers, Lt Col David Lukanga, recently told Mukono residents to kill thieves on sight, according to the Daily Monitor.

Lt Col Lukanga also advised the residents to keep petrol, kerosene, matchboxes and tyres in their homes to deal with the thugs.

In fact, Lukanga’s statement can be interpreted as a rally call for mob justice, because according to him, “when these people (robbers/thieves) come to steal or rob, they torture the victims and even kill them. Why should we have mercy on them?” he wonders, as Daily Monitor quotes.

Now I have read in Chimpreports that UPDF deputy spokesperson, Maj spokesperson Henry Obbo issued a statement saying Lukanga made the remarks as an INDIVIDUAL and the UPDF should not be linked with the mob justice rally call.

But if I may ask, why is it that whenever a UPDF soldier commits a crime, you come out to say those criminal acts should not be viewed as that of the institution the culprits serve? When does a soldier cease being a soldier and become an INDIVIDUAL? Does referring to a soldier as an INDIVIDUAL strip him/her of the ‘soldier’ title?

I remember when residents of northern Uganda complained that UPDF soldiers, and not just LRA rebels, killed civilians during the two-decade war, you said those are individual officers who can be dealt with as individuals (if people present evidence of their crimes).

But why do you, the UPDF (and police) continue attempting to draw a ridiculous line between your officers and the institution they serve? If a soldier shoots a civilian, it becomes a big deal because the soldier is a soldier, was probably dressed in uniform and used a gun, which, without the UPDF that he/she works for, he/she probably would not have had the gun and uniform.

I sincerely hope that you, the UPDF (and police) can find better excuses and explanations for the indiscipline of your men and women, instead of trying to delink the officers from your institution when you find it convenient.

Institutions are made up of people, they are spearheaded by people. It is just ridiculous and shallow for you to keep looking for scapegoats for your shortfalls.

Yours sincerely,

Pissed off Ugandan

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Related stories

Related stories

Kill all thieves on sight, army officer tells locals

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Kill-all-thieves-on-sight–army-officer-tells-locals/-/688334/2525742/-/x7hldoz/-/index.html .

UPDF to ‘Counsel’ Officer Over Mob Justice Remarks

http://chimpreports.com/updf-to-counsel-officer-over-mob-justice-remarks/