Ugandan security has revealed more details about new rebel group Uganda Coalition for Change (UCFC) following the arrest of mor suspects linked to the killing of police officers in the Wamala Policing Region.
On December 27, Uganda Police Force spokesperson Fred Enanga said 21 more suspected UCFC rebels seeking to overthrow President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni and his government had been arrested over the murder of police officers in Mityana and Kiboga and the theft of their guns.
The latest arrests bring the total number to 29.
The Police on Monday confirmed they had arrested 21 suspected rebels of Uganda Coalition for Change (UCFC) linked to the killing of four police officers in Mityana and Kiboga and theft of four guns. Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga said, the arrest of the 21, now brings the total number of arrested suspects to 29.
According to Enanga, the 21 UCFC rebels had been trained at Wabunyira and Kikandwa camps.
“One of the camps was at Wabinyira in Busunju and the other one was at Kikandwa in Mityana where they were trained from,” said Enanga.
“It is from here that they made the first deadly attack. We responded to the first attack, combed the whole area, reached the two camps, and found they had deserted [and shifted to the swampy part of Kabusi Village].”
Security operatives had arrested them from Kassanda, Mityana and Kiboga Districts.
“The Joint Security Task Team actively involved in operations aimed at disrupting and dismantling, the newly created rebel group of the Uganda Coalition for Change (UCFC), has arrested an additional 21 suspects, who form part of the rebel group,” said Enanga.
“We have established that the additional 21 suspects arrested within the axis of Kiboga, Mityana, and Kassanda, also attended training in weapons and military drills at the UCFC rebel camps in Wabunyira and Kikandwa villages.”
Preliminary findings also indicate that most of the youthful UCFC rebels were recruited from Wakiso and taken to Mityana to engage in acts geared at removing Museveni since they reportedly disagree with the outcome of the January presidential election.
“We also want to caution the youth against joining such hostile groups. The claim that they are being motivated by the negative outcome of the 2021 general elections is baseless,” noted Enanga.
“The voices of the majority of Ugandans were heard and must be respected. Therefore, those politicians accelerating themes of violence, as the B-plan needed to bring about societal collapse and lead to an uprising or civil war are seriously warned.”
Dismissing claims that the suspects were being targeted because of their political affiliations, the police spokesperson said: “It is only where these beliefs and affiliations lead to violence, impurity, and lawlessness that we shall bring the perpetrators to book.”
The arrests, made in close collaboration with the Directorate of Crime Intelligence, Flying Squad Unit and territorial police, helped thwart an attack on Mityana District’s Ssekanyonyi Police Station where the UCFC rebels had plotted to attack a shift of four police officers.
Security officers raided a hideout of the UCFC rebels in a wetland found in Kabusi village, Kabusi Parish, Bukuya Town Council in Kasanda District. The wetland is found between Kassanda and Kiboga Districts.
Enanga identified some of the suspects as:
Mosh Makumbi alias Engineer, recruited from Wakiso, trained in Mityana; currently serving as the Field Commander.
Savior Stewart Lugendo alias Kufateka, aged 28 from Wakiso. Serves as second in charge.
Julius Mulindwa, aged 34 from Bukerekere village in Wakiso
John Nasim Masembe, aged 28 from Kassanda
Paul Byamuremere, aged 19 from Kisoro District
Robert Bob Ssenyonga, aged 25 from Rakai
