Why Police Ordered Suspected Robbers to Be Shot On Sight in Mukono

Last week, the Director of Operations Uganda Police, Edward Ochom, ordered police officers to shoot suspected robbers on sight. His utterances come after armed robbers raided Spice Supermarket in Mukono Municipality.  

The area has in the past experienced an increase in crime. People have been robbed, hacked, or killed in the last three months. Most of the victims are residents within Mukono Municipality even though criminality has spread to sub-counties like Nakisunga or neighboring districts of Buikwe and Kayunga.

People’s homes have been raided by robbers using machetes, knives, and clubs and valuables like cars, televisions, flat irons, mobile phones, and laptops have been stolen. 

Some of the latest incidents that have occurred in Mukono central division include the armed robbery of Goretti Kahasha, a 29-year-old cashier at Regal Paints (U) Ltd. Kahasha, a resident of Canan Site, Namubiru Ward, Mukono Municipality was robbed on June 25 at around 9:30 pm when thugs accessed her home through the escape gate and took cover in the compound. 

Her vehicle a Toyota Spacio UAZ 283X was stolen including five smartphones, laptops, a television, and 100,000 Shillings. The other occupants who include Paul Tukashaba and Deborah Natumanya were also hacked.

So far Flying Squad has arrested two suspects in connection to the Spice Supermarket raid. They include Mugalu William, 24, and Mbogo Sam 23. The gun suspected to have been used in the robbery has also been recovered.

Ben Nkalubo, one of the residents of Mukono attributes the armed robberies in the areas to mushrooming private security companies that don’t register with the local council leaders.

Nkalubo believes security commanders should help them to force private security companies including individuals who have private guards to register. 

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Other armed robberies have targeted fuel stations in Mukono areas. Some of these include Stabex along Katosi road, Nakisunga Sub-county, in Mukono district which was attacked at 2 am on May 5, 2022.

Seka Energy Fuel Station was also robbed by a group of thugs who also killed the security guard John Waiswa.

Waiswa’s colleague Suleiman Kasonga was tied with ropes and left unconscious. Other crimes spates include the murder of Christine Nakakawa, whose body was discovered in a trench. She was a resident of Jogo, Goma Division of Mukono Municipality. Nakakawa left her home going to shop for merchandise for her retail shop but never returned.

Police using canine dogs arrested a suspect Nelson Butere, who was found with a knife and ropes stained with blood. St Joseph SS in Nakisunga sub-county was also attacked by thugs who scaled over a perimeter wall. The criminals tied the students who were in preps and later killed the guards Patrick Kanyankore 52 and Fred Hyuha.

The victims of criminality in Mukono also include Rashida Nakamoga 22, and her nine-month-old baby boy Dan Gumikiriza, who was also found killed and dumped in a swamp. The victims had just traveled from Masaka to Dan Nabasa’s home in Goma division. Nabasa is still being held as the prime suspect.

Richard Lugolobi, a resident of Mukono Central Division, blames landlords who do not register their tenants with local council leaders. Lugolobi explains that there are so many homes on perimeter walls and have tenants whose originality is not known.

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Cases of rape have also been reported in Mukono. Some of the suspects that have been linked to the robbery and raping of women especially students include Kitanda Allan alias Lubuka, Nauga Reagan, and Kalyango John. These were found with bullet wounds suspected to have been sustained after they were shot by security personnel. 

Security agencies including the army and police conducted an operation that led to the recovery of among other items a vehicle registration number UAD 728Y, which was parked at Ham Mukasa-Nasuti junction.

Other items recovered include electronics including TV sets, sharp Pangas, knives, refrigerators, gas cookers, radio hoofers, mobile phones and machines used for altering phone serial numbers, and a printer used in making counterfeit money.