Armed raids on homes worry city residents

Residents in Kampala Metropolitan Police area are worried as incidents of burglary and armed robberies in homes are increasingly becoming rampant.
The criminals, ranging from four to seven, armed with machetes, housebreaking implements and sometimes firearms attack homes and make off with home appliances, cars and money, according to various police reports.

Police reports indicate that Kira, Kasangati, Bwebajja, Wakiso, Lungujja and Kajjansi are some of the areas where high cases of burglaries are reported.
The latest incident was an attack on a Uganda Revenue Authority worker, Mr Crispus Mugabe, at Seeta Village in Kasangati Municipality, Wakiso District yesterday at 3:20am.
About five criminals armed with machetes and housebreaking implements raided his home and stole laptops, mobile phones, appliances, Shs2 million and his vehicle before they fled.

Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said Mr Mugabe’s vehicle was recovered at Ring Road in Kampala city after engaging two suspects that were occupying it.
“One suspect was shot, but he managed to flee the scene and he is hiding while another surrendered. Two of his accomplices were arrested. We are looking for another two suspects,” Mr Owoyesigyire said. Police also recovered the victim’s laptop.
Although Mr Owoyesigyire agreed that there is a spike in housebreakings and burglary, he said police have intensified their operations and intelligence at the lowest level.

“In most cases where there has been early reporting, we have been able to apprehend the suspects and recovered stolen items. It is our prayer that people report as soon as the crime has happened to enable us send response team in time,” he said.
Mr Owoyesigyire said many victims report crimes to police a day after the incidents and when they have already tampered with the scenes of crime.
Last Thursday, seven people armed with machetes attacked Mr Allan Mwesigwa’s home at Bwebajja in Kajjansi Town Council, Wakiso District, and stole electronic appliances.
Police later arrested the suspects and recovered two guns after searching their homes.
On October 4, thugs armed with a knife attacked the home of Mr Casmir Anachuna, a Nigerian national, at Ggaba, Makindye Division. They claimed to be police officers carrying out an operation.
When Mr Anachuna opened the door for them, the criminals slapped him and gained access to his house.
They robbed him of Shs150m, a television set and other valuables that he estimated to be worth Shs20m. Neither the suspects nor the cash have been found.
A similar incident happened at Kisasa Village in Wakiso Sub-county, Wakiso District, where six robbers, including one female armed with machetes attacked MACKS Investments Ltd, a factory dealing in textiles and maize processing, last week.

The suspects disarmed the security guard, Mr Godfrey Rwabwoma, before taking off with Shs1.5m, computers and other items.
Buloba Police Station shot one of the suspects and arrested him.
On October 10, thugs with sharp objects attacked Mr Rashid Magajera at Bunamwaya in Makindye Ssabagabo near Entebbe Road and robbed him of his vehicle, Shs25m, electronic appliances and mobile phones.
Despite police response, the car has never been recovered.
The recent violent style of crime is different from what criminals, who target home owners, used to do two years ago.
Thugs would open the door either using master keys or spokes they hooked in the inside bolt and open it without the notice of their victims at night. The victims would only notice that their property was stolen in the morning.

Crime had dropped early this year after the deployment of Uganda People’s Defence Forces soldiers on orders of President Museveni. The soldiers spent most of the night patrolling, which senior police officers say scared away the criminals.
In April, the soldiers were withdrawn and replaced by 6,000 Local Defence Unit personnel, who continued with the patrols.
But several police commanders say the LDUs are almost vanishing. They put the number of LDUs that are effectively working in Kampala Metropolitan Police area at 2,000.

The officers say resident district commissioners have taken over deployment of LDUs, and most of them are now sent to businesses and politicians’ premises that pay huge sums directly to them.
However, Maj Bilal Katamba, the spokesperson of UPDF 1st Infantry Division, dismissed the allegations.
“It is absolutely false. LDUs are deployed by their respective commanders of UPDF. RCCs have no business with them on regard to deployment. Maybe as heads of security in their areas, they could discuss with commanders crime blackspots for possible deployment, if deemed necessary,” Maj Katamba said yesterday.

Other incidents

October 10, 2019: Mr Allan Mwesigwa is attacked at Bwebajja, Kajjansi Town Council by six thugs. Television sets, mobile phones and other appliances are stolen from his residence.
October 10, 2019: Mr Rashid Magajera loses Shs25m, a TV set, mobile phones and Toyota Subaru Forester at his residence in Makindye Ssabagabo.
October 7, 2019: Mr Michael Nyago, a resident in Kira Municipality, is threatened that he will be stabbed to death by attackers. They steal his seven mobile phones, laptops, flat screen and car, a Toyota Land Cruiser.

October 4, 2019: Mr Casmir Anachuna, a Nigerian, loses Shs150m, television set, mobile phones and appliances worth Shs20m after a raid by criminals at his home at Ggaba in Makindye Division.
October 1, 2019: Police officers shoot dead Emmanuel Eryong, who had broken into a house in Kololo to carry out a theft. His accomplice flees the scene.

Two weeks ago, two armed thugs riding a motorcycle shoot dead Hussein Mutyaba, 25, who was pursuing them after they robbed two mobile money agents at their home in Nakabugo Village, Bulaga Parish, Wakiso Sub-county, Wakiso District.
September 26, 2019: Thugs beat up two guards at the premises of Doing Good, an NGO. The thugs tied them up before breaking into the room where foreign nationals were residing in Bulange Zone A in Rubaga Division. They made off with eight laptops, nine phones, jewellery and Shs26m.

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