Senior leaders of Uganda Police in greater Masaka region, have today apologised to area residents on behalf of their surbodinates who showed no mercy to area traders while enforcing curfew rules.
A meeting to nail out a ressolve was organised at around 10:00 am, chaired by Mr. Mwanje Kudra, the Lc1 chairperson Kyitengeesa zone Masaka city, infront of his office. It was attended by area residents, senior police officers including Masaka District Police Commander, head of Anti Terrorism Unit and the Regional Police Commander. The RPC of the greater Masaka region Mr. Wandera Jamada implored residents to exenorate the police force of their unethical shortcomings and behaviour.
Residents who attended the meeting recounted the horror and ordeal they went through at the hands of ruthless police officers who showed no mercy to them in the coarse of enforcing Presidential directives on curfew.
They recounted that at 6:00 pm, a Ugandan police van, packed with tens of policemen drove aggressively through a certain trading area in Kyitengeesa zone and suddenly stopped.
Thereafter, heavily armed operatives in a black uniform belonging to the Anti Terrorism unit jumped off the vehicle, and descended on the local traders, who were preparing to return home after a busy day. They seriously manhandled people with sticks and made off with unspecified sums of money. As if that was not enough, they ate chips belonging to these local people, ate their chapatis, poured cooking oil on fire and jump-stepped on frying pans to the point of becoming flat.
Residents also accused police of doing a great job in causing hatred among the population against the NRM government. “You have won the NRM government a wrath from Masaka residents due to your inhumane practices”, shouted the crowd as they booed the police.
For his part Mr Mwanje Kudra urged police leadership to instil discipline amongst junior officers. “No one is beaten and keeps supporting the NRM. Police men at grass roots levels do not understand the importance of politeness, obedience, linience and intelligence while doing their work” said Mr. Kudra as he addressed the gathering.
The RPC Mr. Wandera Jamada appealed to residents to pardon the police for their unbecoming and ruthless acts meted against people. “What they did was totally wrong, but doesn’t mean that the whole police is bad. I ask you on the behalf of the greater Masaka Police to forgive us,” remarked Mr. Jamada.
Ever since curfew was instituted by President Museveni in March 2020 as part of his directives against the spread of Covid 19, police have come under increasing scrutiny and criticisms, due to the use of disproportionate force against the locals. For example; on April 4th, 2020, Ugandan Police arrested two of their colleagues and a village vigilantee for torturing a pregnant woman named Ms. Nakate Mercy in kikumbiro village, Busega, who had gone outside her house to buy medicine, given her condition.
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