Uganda police Force has explained circumstances under which two UPDF soldiers were Sunday afternoon shot dead in the Rwenzori East Region.
On 3/4/2016, at around 14; 30hrs, a team from the Police FlyingSquad that is actively involved in hunting down suspects behind the Kidodo police post attack, where a police officer was killed and his gun stolen, while on routine patrol and surveillance at Katdooba trading center, sighted one Kule Julius, the alleged commander of the attack on the police post.
The suspect upon seeing them escaped and returned to the palace with six other members of the traditional Royal guards.
The flying squad continued patrolling the area but while returning to the police station fell into an ambush laid by another group of suspected traditional Royal guards, but managed to force their way through.
Upon reaching the station, several gunshots were heard from the direction of the palace where, it was later established to be an attack by the traditional royal guards against the UPDF Royal guards deployed at the palace, whom they suspected of tipping off police and military on their movements and activities plus the identity of the attackers to kidodo police post.
Out of the three officers, one at the rank of Corporal Idro David managed to fight his way out of the palace with his gun, after they tried to disarm him in vain.
The highly charged and violent group of traditional Royal guards tried to pursue him in vain, and instead attacked and shot dead a bodaboda rider who was transporting two UPDF officers attached to the 25th Brigade in the Rwenzori Mountains (Mulongooti). The deceased officers were identified as L/CPL Barekye Joseph, and Pte. Tumwesigye Edward.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga explains that both the police and military responded to the area and effectively secured it reconstructed and documented, retrieved and transported the bodies of the three dead persons to Kilembe Hospital Mortuary for post mortem analysis as inquiries to establish the motive behind the attacks continue.
He told a press conference at Naguru this morning that the situation has been brought under control with no other incidents of violence, and the political engagements between the Rwenzururu King and Hon. Mike Mukula, to help devise a political solution to the political problem are still ongoing.
Enanga adds that any injuries or casualities within the palace are yet to be established, although contact was established with Pte. Bwambale Ibra one of the UPDF Royal guards in the palace.
