A dramatic clash unfolded in Wakiso District on Monday evening as thirteen Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers were arrested following a violent confrontation with police officers at the Wakiso Police Division headquarters.
The arrested soldiers are; Cpl. George Mwesigwa, Sgt. Denis Owor, Pte. Ronald Kato, L/Cpl. Martin Ssenoga, Pte. Peter Okello, Pte. Moses Byaruhanga, Cpl. Ivan Mugisha, L/Cpl. Hassan Lumumba, Pte. Jackson Ouma, Sgt. Alex Bukenya, Pte. Richard Aluma, Cpl. Robert Mutebi, and L/Cpl. Simon Odongo.
Both the Uganda Police Force and the UPDF have released a joint statement confirming the arrests and promising a thorough investigation.
They assured the public that disciplinary action would be taken against any officers found guilty of misconduct.
The soldiers, reportedly affiliated with the Presidential Taskforce on Land Matters and Environment, are accused of storming the station and demanding an unlawful eviction in a land-related conflict.
The incident occurred on June 2, 2025, at approximately 5:00 PM, according to a press release issued by the Uganda Police Force.
The soldiers arrived in a green minibus (registration number UBG 041U) and a Toyota Noah (UBR 647B), demanding that the Division Police Commander (DPC), Superintendent of Police Esther Kiiza, facilitate an eviction without a valid court order.
“The soldiers, thirteen (13) in number, confronted the Wakiso Division Commander and other officers at the station while pursuing a land dispute,” the statement noted.
“They demanded that the Division Police Commander 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.”
Eyewitness accounts and police sources indicate that when SP Kiiza declined the soldiers’ demands, tensions quickly escalated. The soldiers reportedly became aggressive, attempting to intimidate her into compliance.
According to the statement, her refusal angered the military personnel, leading them to confronting her.
As the confrontation intensified, an exchange of gunfire ensued. Officers at the station were forced to respond with armed force, resulting in a firefight that caused the soldiers to flee the premises.
Police, in coordination with UPDF personnel, launched an immediate pursuit and the suspects were later apprehended in Yesu Amala, Wakiso District.
“Subsequently, a police team from Kampala Metropolitan North Region and the UPDF pursued and apprehended the suspects,” the statement confirmed.
The background to the raid appears to be a longstanding land feud involving two brothers, one of whom reportedly owns a major supermarket in Wakiso.
Tensions flared after the supermarket owner’s agents, escorted by armed soldiers, allegedly fenced off the disputed property without notifying police or the Resident District Commissioner.
The following day, a rival group tore down the fence, prompting the military to detain six individuals and deliver them to the police station, where SP Kiiza reportedly hesitated to detain them without proper authorization, a move the soldiers interpreted as obstruction.
This is the second such incident in recent weeks where armed soldiers have targeted police commands over disputed arrests. Last month, another group of UPDF personnel raided Lubowa Police Station and assaulted several officers after a disagreement over suspect detention.
The Uganda Police Force has confirmed that the arrested soldiers are now in custody and “pending disciplinary action.” The statement did not name the soldiers or comment on whether their actions were officially sanctioned by their commanding officers.
As investigations continue, the episode raises renewed concerns about growing friction between the armed forces and police, especially in high-stakes land conflicts that have increasingly become flashpoints for violence in different parts of the country.
