January 1, 2025 marked a dark day for the family of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) as a junior officer shot himself dead.
The UPDF spokesperson, Brigadier General Felix Kulayigye identified the deceased as RO/13999 Lt Ariho Amon who has been serving in the Engineering Brigade. At the time of his death, Ariho was driving a black car UBJ 493Q.
The incident is said to have happened at around 2:00pm at Nakirebe village in Mpigi district.
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The deceased stopped his car at a football playground and chased away the players before pulling his SMG gun from his car and shooting himself in the head.
Ariho is said to have left behind a note showing the reasons which triggered the taking of his own life.
The note which was addressed to the Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) in details reads;
“UPDF FAMILY. Dear CDF I want to thank you for the good leadership and may God continue blessing you. Let me hope this message finds you well.
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Kindly visit the Engineers’ brigade and revise some things. I joined the Army in 2013 and did basic training, I also became a cadet there after a few years and currently have been serving at a rank of Lieutenant. As I leave, these are the issues to discuss.
- Eng. Ogwang is the cause of my death.
“After being deployed in the Engineers’ brigade he chased every engineer who was working with in the Central region, not even working with that engineer for even a day.
Truck the record of works done by us before Maj. Ogwang. Like I for one visit Mpigi district, and Butambala. Specifically, in Butambala look at Gombe hospital. Dear CDF Maj. Ogwanga found blocks already made in Gombe worth sh100m and claimed that we were thieves because we made blocks for selling.
He is just selfish, he did not know that the former leader was strategic and would plan for the future. Maj. Ogwanga did not buy any block in Gomba district because he found a soft landing.
Ogwanga did not even manage to pay the debts he found in place.
- Dear CDF, harmful propaganda and selfish interests will make you hate and abandon good people and pull up wrong elements.
Sir, get on ground and make proper investigations before making changes.
- Lt. Amon Ariho RO/13999 am leaving, please kindly in deep sadness come and take my body home. Rukiga district Kamwezi Kibanda Katungu.
- CDF sir, I request you to take good care of my children that I have left behind because now their father is no more.”
Soldiers from the nearby detach and police rushed to the scene of crime and cordoned it off, his phone and document were recovered from his car.
The body was taken to Mulago City mortuary whereas his gun and car were taken to Mpigi Police.
The investigations are ongoing to ascertain the root cause of this unfortunate incident.