Maj Katamba identified the motorcycles impounded last night as UDV 992F and UEM 426H all Bajaj Boxers. These, according to Maj Katamba, are some of the numerous cases they have been encountering since curfew was imposed.
Uganda People
Defence Forces –UPDF have expressed concern over increasing cases of thugs moving
on motorcycles in the night hours. First Division Spokesperson, Maj Yusuf Bilal
Katamba, said a number of thugs are moving on motorcycles late in the
night purposely either targeting people walking alone or going to rob and kill.
Maj Katamba bases the warning on many cases where Local Defence Units –LDUs on
their foot night patrols have intercepted thugs moving on motorcycles with rudimentary
weapons such as machetes, knives and clubs.
Some of the
latest incidents have been registered in Nabweru Division, Nansana
Municipality, Wakiso District and Ndege Lubugumu, where motorcycles and killer rudimentary
weapons have been impounded. In some cases, suspects have been arrested while
majority have been running away but abandoning motorcycles.
Maj Katamba
identified the motorcycles impounded last night as UDV 992F and UEM 426H all
Bajaj Boxers. These, according to Maj Katamba, are some of the numerous cases
they have been encountering since curfew was imposed.
“It gives us
a picture that these are the people targeting people in the night. We urge
people to avoid using Boda-bodas in the night but also motorists should avoid
moving beyond curfew time because thugs are also using the same time,” Maj
Katamba said.
Cue in “every
sharp machete…
Cue out “…of
Bijambiya group”//
UPDF said whoever
will be found riding a motorcycle in wee hours will be arrested since they have
intensified operations on thugs terrorizing people using motorcycles. President
Yoweri Museveni has maintained a 6pm and 9pm curfew on motorcyclist and drivers
respectively.
The curfew
among other measures such as closure of educational institutions and bars was
put in place to curb the spread of novel Coronavirus Disease. UPDF
said people should respect curfew time in order to avoid landing into hands of
criminals.
//cue in “kituwa
okulowooza…
Cue out “…obude
obwabawebwa”//
Although Maj
Katamba could not readily provide statistics on cases where LDUs have
intercepted suspected thugs moving on motorcycles since curfew was announced in
March, he said the cases are many and people need to be more careful.
Last year,
joint security operation arrested more than 15 suspected thugs that had killed
at least 20 Boda-boda riders in Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono districts. One group
of suspected thugs was led by Young Mulo whose arrest came after their
strangulation of Boda-boda rider, Derrick Mulindwa, was captured by CCTV
cameras in Mengo. There more than 6000 LDUs in Kampala metropolitan.
Joseph Kato is currently a Master's candidate at Makerere University. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Mass Communication from Kampala International University, a Diploma in Journalism and he's also a graduate in Guidance and Counseling.