The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) has revealed that some of their servicemen working on Namboole Stadium were injured following an attack by encroachers sitting on the stadium’s land.
According to the Defence Deputy Spokesperson, Col Deo Akiiki, 23 individuals led by one Vice Chairman Kawooya Godfrey and another only identified as “Masada” of Katooke Zone on Thursday led a group of defiant encroachers on government land and attacked UPDF engineers on duty with machetes, stones, arrows and bows.
He says the engineers were surveying part of the land that hosts the Namboole stadium complex in order to begin laying culverts and block manholes.
He noted that security detail protecting the site and workers shot three warning shots to disperse Kawooya’s gang but in vain.
Akiiki says it’s at this point that chaos ensued which left three soldiers injured.
He says civilians injured are not yet established as police have joined to investigate the incident further and bring those involved to book.
Namboole National stadium is undergoing renovation, an activity that was handed to UPDF Engineers.
Prior to the renovation, notices of vacating the premises were sent out to encroachers several times by all concerned authorities and a deadline of February 15, 2023, was given.
Akiiki says the UPDF Engineers Brigade will continue to do its work and will not be deterred despite acts of provocation by ‘errant and illegal encroachers’ on the property.
He says they have beefed up security at the stadium and called upon citizens to respect public property in order to avoid unnecessary injuries and loss of lives.