Museveni directs security forces to shoot those who pelt stones at them

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has directed security officers who don’t have protective gear like shields and helmets to fire at those throwing stones at them. Speaking at State House Nakasero today, Museveni said that throwing stones to officers on duty who have no protective gear is not only very dangerous but can also lead to death.

“The other day we punished soldiers that caned people. This was because they violated the standing orders of policing. They can only use violence in self-defence, nobody has a right to assault a member of the security forces. Anybody in the security forces has the right to use reasonable force to subdue you and arrest you,” Museveni said.

He said that in self-defence, the officers will use live fire to disable the stone-throwers recalling an incident some years ago when ASP John Bosco Ariong was stoned to death while carrying out operations in downtown Kampala. “In rural areas be very careful, it’s not like in Kampala; you are not going to throw stones at them and then you injure them and they let you go,” Museveni said.

Meanwhile, Museveni has directed Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda to study the issue of bicycles and bodaboda moving beyond 2 pm. The president added that the rationale of stopping motorcycles from moving at night was to limit crime during the night but during the day, he thinks they shouldn’t be stopped. “Study it with Katumba Wamala, and advise, otherwise, I don’t have a problem with it,” Museveni said,

In other news, the president also ordered Dr Rugunda together with the Minister of Foreign Affairs to study whether Ugandans caught outside the country can be evacuated. Museveni said that unlike in Wuhan, China where coronavirus first broke out and then placed under lockdown, if it is possible to repatriate Ugandans with government help.

“Those groups I will tell the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be in touch with them, they are easy if it can be done safely, we can airlift them and put them in quarantine,” Museveni said. The president who extended the lockdown of the country to more 21 days said that their main focus now is the porous borders that people from neighbouring countries are utilizing to cross into the country.

He vowed to deal harshly with any security officer who corruptly allows anyone to cross into Uganda despite the closure of the borders. “You are not going to be charged with corruption or negligence of duty because you know the sequences of allowing people into the country. We are going to charge you with murder or attempted murder,” Museveni said.

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