VIDEO: Hawkers carry drowned colleague’s body to KCCA offices
KAMPALA- A body of a female hawker in her mid-20s has been retrieved from Nakivubo Channel.
The hawker reportedly jumped in the channel when she was reportedly escaping from Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) law enforcement officers on Friday.
The afternoon incident triggered protests from boda-boda riders, hawkers and vendors who grabbed the body from the Police’s Rescue Unit and marched with it to City Hall, the headquarters of KCCA.
Protestors carry the body to KCCA headquaters. Photo by Godfrey Lugaaju
The protestors who tried to enter KCCA premises were dispersed by the police officers who fired live bullets in the air.
According to witnesses, the unidentified woman was vending handkerchiefs near the Electoral Commission offices on Jinja Road junction when she was confronted by KCCA law enforcers.
She allegedly jumped in the channel near the Sixth Street Industrial Area as she fled.
Witnesses say she tried to swim but downed as pedestrians and a handful of fellow hawkers and boda boda cyclists helplessly watched on.
Police fight hawkers who wanted to enter KCCA premises. Photo by Godfrey Lugaaju
Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Mr Emilian Kayima, said: “We are going to investigate to establish circumstances that led to her death.”
Mr Collins Agaba, the spokesperson of the police Fire and Rescue Department said; by the time they arrived at the scene, the victim was already dead.
Mr Kayima said the body had been taken to the city morgue as investigations proceed.
Street vending is illegal in Kampala City and vendors and hawkers are prosecuted whenever they are arrested.
KCCA management said in a statement that they have forwarded the matter to police for investigation.
