Wakiso, Uganda: Tensions between Ugandan security agencies flared again on Monday after thirteen soldiers attached to the Presidential Taskforce on Land Matters and Environment were arrested over a violent attack on Wakiso Police Division in a land-related dispute.
The June 2 incident, according to Police, unfolded around 5:00 PM when a group of UPDF soldiers, travelling in an army minibus, stormed the Wakiso Police Division headquarters and confronted the Division Police Commander (DPC) SP Esther Kiiza over an ongoing land eviction.
“Today, June 2, 2025, at around 5:00 PM, police officers at Wakiso Police Division were attacked by military personnel, reportedly from the Presidential Taskforce on Land Matters and Environment, driving a green minibus in colour reg. No UBG 041U and a Toyota Noah UBR 647B,” the police statement released Monday evening read in part.
“The soldiers, thirteen (13) in number confronted the Wakiso Division Commander and other officers at the station while pursuing a land dispute. They demanded that the Division Police Commander (DPC) assist in a land eviction, which she refused, citing the absence of a court order and the lack of involvement from the district security committee.”
“As the DPC was trying to make a phone call to her superior to consult, one of the soldiers at the rank of Warrant Officer snatched her mobile phone. Then the other soldiers surrounded her office and started shooting at it,” a source added.
The DPC’s refusal reportedly infuriated the military personnel, prompting an altercation. Officers on duty intervened, leading to an exchange of gunfire that forced the soldiers to flee.
A joint operation involving police from Kampala Metropolitan North Region and UPDF units tracked the suspects to Yesu Amala in Wakiso District, where all thirteen were arrested and taken into custody. Authorities confirmed that disciplinary proceedings are underway.
This is the second time in recent weeks that UPDF soldiers have attacked police officers in Wakiso over land-related issues.
A previous incident saw military personnel violently raid a police station and assault officers before freeing a suspect in detention, a confrontation that sparked widespread public outrage and raised concerns over inter-agency indiscipline.
Both the UPDF and the Uganda Police Force have repeatedly condemned such acts of lawlessness by security operatives and pledged to uphold discipline, coordination, and respect for the rule of law.
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