Plain clothed police officers impounding boda bodas
The Commander Kampala Metropolitan Police, SCP Steven Tanui has ordered the arrest of any police officer who will be found impounding boda bodas or conducting arrests in civilian attire.
Tanui’s directive comes just two days into the nerve-wrecking festive season operation on boda boda riders flouting traffic rules and misbehaving on the road.
The ongoing operation happening countrywide has led to police seizing a total of 6,374 motorcycles country-wide and issuing 4,926 EPS tickets.
It also comes amidst increasing complaints from various boda boda riders on arrests being conducted by men in civilian wear, creating uncertainty on whether they are thieves or real police officers.
Some of the boda bodas who interacted with this website claim they are handled ruthlessly by the plain-clothed men when they demand for identification to prove their designations.
A section of operators have also accused fellow civilians operating in the boda boda industry of ganging up against them and illegally impounding their machines, or working with police officers to arrest them.
According to the Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Patrick Onyango, the directives issued by SCP Tanui take off immediately and will affect both civilians and police officers working in plain clothes.
Onyango told our reporter Minah Nalule that no civilian should be involved at all times in the ongoing operations and those found will be charged with impersonation.
Plain clothed police officers impounding boda bodas
He says the Commander also ordered that traffic operations on boda bodas should be carried out by Police Officers in uniform led by Traffic Personnel.
“Any officer who is found using civilians should be arrested together with the civilian.No bodaboda operator (rider) is allowed to impound a motorcycle of his fellow bodaboda rider, those found should be arrested and charged accordingly,” he says.
Onyango adds that Tanui has also cautioned Boda boda cyclists against disobeying a directive of anybody in civilian clothes during these operations.
The Commander has ordered personnel on this operation to be professional and smart.
The operation that will last through the festive season is targeting all riders found without reflector jackets, helmets and PSV permits. In addition to that, Boda boda riders with motorcycles in dangerous mechanical conditions, without front mirrors and those found disregarding traffic regulations have equally been targeted.
