The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kapchorwa, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A teenage girl is battling for her life at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital after being shot in the neck in an operation involving Uganda People’s Defense Forces-UPDF and Local Defense Unit personnel in Kapchorwa district. The injured is Sandra Chemutai, a resident of Litei village in Kaptirir ward in West division in Kapchorwa district.
She was shot on Saturday evening when security officers opened fire while dispersing rowdy residents who had gathered in Koti trading center. The officers stormed the trading center to enforce a ban by the president on public gatherings.
However, the residents turned rowdy and blocked all the roads leading to East Division with boulders and stones prompting the security to open live bullets. Kapchorwa Resident District Commissioner, Emma Rose Cherukut, says residents had gathered in big numbers in violation of the presidential directive on public gatherings to combat the spread of COVID-19.
Nelson Kitiyo, the Kween Village LC 1 Chairperson who is attending to the victim at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital blamed the RDC for not informing him about the operations such that he could sensitise the residents.
Michael Chebet Musau, the East Division LC III Chairperson, condemned the act of shooting live bullets at civilians. He however also faulted residents for being chaotic and disrespecting security forces, which could have prompted them to open live bullets.
Kapchorwa District Health Officer Siraji Masai says there is no proper communication between the people and security forces which is forcing security officers to shoot at residents.
He asks the authorities to use public policing other than military and brutal ways. Fredmark Chesanga, the Sipi Region police spokesperson says police is investigating circumstances under which the girl was shot.
“We are still investigating the circumstances and the motive for the shooting. But what I can tell you is that the RDC went to the Baracks and picked soldiers without police. I will give you details later,” he told our reporter in a phone interview.
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