By Our Reporter
BUKWO
Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) soldiers have been accused of stealing fuel meant for the construction of the Kapchorwa-Suam road via Bukwo district, eastern Uganda.
China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) which is constructing the road even presented CCTV footage as evidence showing men in army uniform stealing up to 3,000 litres of fuel on Thursday night at the company’s offices in Kamkamba in Bukwo town council of Bukwo district. UPDF is deployed to guard the construction camp.
The evidence was presented on Friday, 11th November, 2022 by Deo Wei, the company’s chief engineer during an emergency meeting with the Resident District Commissioner Bukwo and other technical officers.
“This is the challenge delaying our work; by now we would have been done with the work,” the engineer said.
According to Wei, one of the soldiers among those captured on CCTV cameras took off and abandoned his gun after the workers caught him red-handed siphoning fuel from the drums in the camps.
The RDC, Samuel Hashaka Mpimbaza confirmed that the suspected thief’s gun was abandoned at the camp and was picked up by the camp commander.
“This is very bad and we condemn theft of fuel which is meant to complete the work on the road,” he said.
Hashaka ordered the police to commence investigations and have the culprits arrested and face charges of theft.
Maj Isaac Oware, the UPDF 3rd Division spokesperson described the incident as unfortunate and urged the Chinese contractor to share the video footage showing their soldiers stealing for proper action.
“As UPDF, we don’t condone indiscipline by our personnel, we shall launch investigations and the culprits will face the law,” he said.
