Mr Frank Gashumba, a member of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), has been summoned to a disciplinary hearing at the PLU Secretariat following his contentious social media post targeting the Chairman of the PLU and Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
In the post, dated the 26th of May 2024, Gashumba who is the PLU Vice Chairman for Buganda accused security agencies for their perceived failure in protecting Ugandans from rising criminal activities. His remarks, including a call for resignations and a comparison of their capabilities to international peacekeeping missions, did not sit well with the PLU leadership.
The post, which featured a photo of the Chairman of the PLU, was deemed as a direct attack on the organization and its leadership.
This publication has seen a letter addressed to Mr Gashumba requesting to confirm his attendance at the hearing scheduled for the 29th of May 2024. The letter is signed by Hon Michael Mawanda on behalf of the PLU Central Commission for Discipline and it is copied to the PLU Chairman and the General Secretary Hon David Kabanda.
This publication understands that the outcome of the disciplinary hearing would determine the repercussions for Mr Gashumba’s actions and the impact on his standing within the PLU.
Meanwhile, following Gashumba's post, several individuals criticized him for what they perceived as attention-seeking behavior. Many pointed out that the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) is primarily tasked with safeguarding Uganda's territorial integrity, rather than addressing petty crime as mentioned in Gashumba's remarks.
Furthermore, Gashumba's call for the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to resign was met with skepticism, as the IGP had not yet assumed office, leading to questions about his understanding of the current situation. Some commentators highlighted that even renowned cities like New York and London face significant criminal activities, underscoring the complexity of addressing crime.
On the other hand, social media commentator Mr. Shafiq Ssebunya emphasized previous instances where Uganda's security agencies successfully defeated criminal gangs. He cited examples such as the Wembley squad thwarting armed robbers in the early 2000s, the UPDF and UPF conquering the bijambiya gang, and the eradication of the notorious Kifeesi gang, among others.
Mr. Ssebunya expressed confidence in the capabilities of the UPDF and UPF to tackle criminal elements and urged citizens to support and collaborate with the security agencies in their efforts to combat crime. He reminded Gashumba and others that previous criminal threats had been neutralized through the concerted efforts of the security forces and urged patience and vigilance in dealing with the current challenges.
