Over 100 spend night in cells as police intensify curfew operations in Kampala

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | More than 100 people spent the night in the cells of different police stations in Kampala following the heightened curfew operations. On Tuesday, Kampala Metropolitan Police warned about the alarming abuse of the nighttime curfew operations by motorists and pedestrians.

“We would like to inform the general public that Kampala Metropolitan Police will start today (Tuesday), to heighten operations against those flouting curfew. Whoever will be found violating curfew guidelines will be arrested, cars impounded and taken to courts of law for prosecution,” the Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said.

At exactly 6 pm on Tuesday, joint security teams comprising Police and Local Defense Unit-LDU personnel deployed strategically on different roads in Kampala. They also mounted roadblocks at different traffic lights leading to the arrest of several curfew violators. The suspects included motorists, cyclists and pedestrians who were returning home past the 7pm curfew.

A police officer at Jinja road police station who participated in night operations told Uganda Radio Network-URN this morning that they arrested 50 motorists from Nakawa and Lugogo-bypass during curfew time.

“They spent the night at Jinja road police. We cautioned them and released some of them in the morning. The screening is still continuing,” said the officer. Luke Owoyesigyire, the Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police spokesperson says that they impounded 339 motor vehicles and 265 motorcycles in the operations in Kampala Metropolitan policing areas.

“We shall issue express penalty tickets against these vehicles and motorcycles. The suspects currently detained at different police divisions will be arraigned in courts of law for prosecution,” he said. Keneth Musundi, a boda boda rider in Nakawa division cried out to police against the brutal arrest.

He says that his explanations to the officers that his motorcycle had mechanical problems fell on deaf ears.

Emmanuel Mayanja, another rider at city square said the police officers enforcing the curfew have turned it into an extortion scheme. He says that the officers charge between Shillings 50,000 and 100,000 to release those found violating the curfew.

Owoyesigyire says the operations are ongoing and advised the general public to plan their time very early. ”While these operations continue, we still caution and remind the public to plan their time very well in order to avoid any inconveniences,” said Owoyesigyire.

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