{UAH} Guns out as Gen Angina, Brig Kyanda fight over UPDF Amisom salaries

BY AMBROSE MUSIIME ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2016

A serious fight has broken out at the Mbuya based Ministry of Defense between the deputy chief of defense forces Maj Gen Charles Angina and the UPDF chief of Staff Brig Leopold Kyanda over salaries of UPDF combatants serving under AMISOM force in Somalia.

According to our highly placed security source within the defense ministry corridors intimated to us that Soldiers serving AMISOM accused Brig Leopold Kyanda of deducting their hard earned wages from AMISOM under unclear circumstances.

This source also told us that the fight between Gen Angina and Kyanda started after the victims reported the matter to the Chief of Defense Forces Gen Edward Katumba Wamala about the deductions allegedly by Brig Kyanda without giving a reason.

It is reported that after the complaints reached the table of CDF, he also instructed his deputy to follow up the matter and give him a full report.

Under 2005 UPDF Act the UPDF Chief of Staff is responsible for the control and administration of the defense forces.

"There is a very big bickering between the two ever since the CDF ordered for the investigation of the allegations leveled against the Chief of Staff and the two cannot see to eye to eye" source said.

He added" our returnee combatants have been complaining about their salaries being withheld and latter deducted which prompted the CDF to look into the matters"

This is not the first time these UPDF senior army officers are engaging in a serious fight. Early this year Kyanda paraded before First son also SFC commander Maj Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba a recording where Gen Angina reportedly complained about 'lack of will to stamp out corruption in the military and the ministry of Defence.

It's also said that Brig Kyanda 'fought so hard' to make sure Gen Angina failed in the parliamentary elections for the UPDF conducted in Bombo military headquarter where the deputy army boss failed to make it back to the house after garnering only 103 votes.

According to the sources, there were reports of some army units celebrating the failure of Gen Angina, 'whom soldiers don't like because of his strictness on corruption and indiscipline in the force.

However the allegations come at time when the army says the UPDF soldiers serving under the AMISOM have not been paid for nine months.

The UPDF, which was charging $200 from each soldier's monthly as administration cost also reduced this fee to $100.

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