The Wakiso Police Division has arrested 13 Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officers following a tense standoff that involved an exchange of gunfire related to a land dispute.
The confrontation follows a recent incident in which officers from the Special Forces Command (SFC) reportedly attacked Lubowa Police Station and assaulted officers over undisclosed issues.
According to police, the latest altercation occurred when military personnel allegedly from the Presidential Taskforce on Land Matters and Environment arrived at the Wakiso Police Division in two vehicles: a green minibus (registration number UBG 041U) and a Toyota Noah (UBR 647B).
In an official statement, police said the 13 soldiers confronted the Division Police Commander (DPC) and other officers at the station, demanding assistance in executing a land eviction. The DPC reportedly declined, citing the absence of a court order and the lack of consultation with the district security committee.
“Her refusal angered the military personnel, leading to a confrontation. In response, her fellow officers at the station used armed force, resulting in an exchange of gunfire that forced the soldiers to flee the scene,” the police statement reads.
A joint operation by officers from the Kampala Metropolitan North Region and the UPDF later tracked and arrested the suspects in Yesu Amala, Wakiso District.
The detained soldiers are currently in police custody and await disciplinary action.
