President Yoweri Museveni has warned Local Defense Units (LDUs) against acting like what he called “pigs.”
Museveni made the warning on Friday evening while clarifying some of his guidelines to the nation in the fight against the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus.
“The Bible says you cannot put your pearls before pigs. I am warning all those pigs who are trying to spoil our plan to stop this virus. We shall arrest you,” Museveni said.
LDUs have been helping the police and the army to enforce a curfew.
He issued the warning after getting reports that LDUs were entering some people’s homes under the guise of enforcing the nationwide curfew.
In his Monday guidelines, Museveni announced a curfew for the next 14 days starting at 7pm and ending at 6:30am.
LDUs have built an infamous reputation for their high handedness with which they effect security-based orders.
The president who punctuated his speech with references to the five-year bush war that brought him to power in 1986, said he is going to crack the whip on “pigs” as they did while in the bush.
Museveni also warned corrupt Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) who are taking advantage of the lock down.
At the same address, the president revealed that Uganda’s cases had risen to 48 after results showed that 3 more people had tested positive for the virus on Friday.
He also bashed a section of lawmakers who he said had expressed pessimism that the economy would suffer as a result of the pandemic.
“Sectors like tourism, bars will suffer but amidst this, demand for food is up. Things like sanitizers are now being produced and are even being exported,” he said.
On Saturday, the government will begin distributing food to some of the country’s most vulnerable to help them cope with the lock down.
The program that will begin in Kampala, is expected to be rolled out across the country in the next days.