Police beat up, arrest officer in city fight- VIDEOS

Dramatic scenes unfolded in Kampala Monday when police arrested one of their own after he threatened to shoot a fellow officer, who was enforcing the  presidential directives aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19. 
The officer, identified as Police Constable Nicholas Turyasingura, attached to Old Kampala Police Station, was guarding Ham Shopping Ground.

The incident began when the officer-in-charge of Mini Price Police Post, ASP Flavia Musiimenta, started chasing street vendors and shop attendants, who had defied the Covid-19 guidelines and opened their shops.
However, when she reached Ham Shopping Ground, Mr Turyasingura stopped her from chasing the traders. 
Mr Turyasingura then cocked his gun and pointed it at Ms Musiimenta’s head.

She was saved by officers from the field force unit, who disarmed Mr Turyasingura.
They then arrested the officer and took him to Central Police Station in Kampala where he is being detained as the investigation into the matter continues.
Witnesses said Mr Turyasingura was hiding traders in the arcade.

Mr Yona Kanyankole, a shop attendant at Ham Shopping Ground, said the police officer did not respect his boss who was enforcing the Covid-19 guidelines.
Mr Luke Owoyesigyire, the Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, confirmed the arrest.
“We arrested PC Nicholas Turyasingura on allegations that he cocked a gun before his boss whereas his boss was on her lawful duty,” he said.

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Police reaction 

Police spokesperson Fred Enanga while addressing the media at Naguru Police headquarters, said the operation on enforcing Covid 19 guidelines is continuous.
He said following the presidential address, security agencies have arrested 857 people for violating Covid-19 standard operating procedures.
At least 600 vehicles have also been impounded, 493 were given fines and owners paid them in the bank while 100 vehicles are still pending at police.
He added that 2,762 motorcycles were also impounded for violating Covid-19 guidelines. Of these 2,430 were fined and owners paid them in the bank while 332 are still pending at police.

 “We are no longer using mercy to tell people to go home, we have instructed our officers on checkpoints countrywide to use reasonable force to conduct the operation and make it successful,” he said.
Mr Enanga, however, warned individual security personnel who use the lockdown to misuse government vehicles that were allocated to them.

Museveni address

In his address, relayed live on both radio and television on Friday, Mr Museveni ordered for the closure of Kikuubo lane and other crowded business centres.

However, some traders in arcades in the city have accused security operatives of misnterpetaing the president’s message.

“The president did not order closure of all arcades in the city. He was specific. Why are police officers ordering us to close our businesses and go home? Are they going to feed our families,” said a trader who deals in phones in one of the arcades along Namirembe road.

Moments later, police officers were seen handcuffing a mobile money agent for allegedly defying their orders to close his business.

“Why are you arresting me? The president said utility business such as mobile money will remain open? What have I done?” he shouted as he exchanged with the two officers who had arrested him.

Other traders asked government to relax movement restrictions to allow them travel to their vilages where they hope to find others means of survival as their businesses had been closed.

This comes a day after government said it will use mobile money to deliver cash to vulnerable people who are affected by the second Covid-19 lockdown, which started on Friday night.

The government in April last year during the first lockdown distributed food to the urban poor, majorly in Kampala Metropolitan area, but a number of eligible people said they didn’t get.

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The distribution was marred with corruption and accountability issues that have not been resolved to date.

Addressing journalists yesterday in Kampala after a closed-door meeting with members of the Covid-19 National Task Force, the new Prime Minister, Ms Robinah Nabbanja, said she would use a different approach during her tenure.

“We have agreed to have direct payment method and voucher system to provide assistance to the vulnerable people [affected by the second lockdown]. This time, we shall not give food. People have phones, we shall use mobile money. Those who don’t have phones, we shall use voucher system [to give the relief assistance],” Ms Nabbanja said.

Highlighting orphanages and slum dwellers, the Prime Minister said a committee of the National Task Force will sit on Tuesday (tomorrow) to determine the amount that will be given and the time when people will start getting the support.