A section of residents of Wakiso district have raised a red flag over the recent operations mounted by police and the local defense unit, LDU.
According to the frustrated residents, moving in several towns in the district has of late become risky business. Some of them risk spending a night in the Police cells where they have to bribe officers to regain their freedom or face the magistrate.
The situation isn’t any different in Nansana and Kira municipalities as well as Kasangati town council. Apparently, both plain clothed and uniformed police officers together with LDUs personnel start patrols at around 9pm. They arrest whoever is found walking at that time and beyond.
Sam Ssemwogere, an upcoming artist and resident of Kasangati, says he was arrested around 9:00pm last Sunday as he arrived at Afro-club, which is a block away from Kasangati Police Station.
The officers accused him of being idle and disorderly, despite the president’s drive to police to stop arresting Ugandans on this charge. His father had to part with Shillings 150,000 to ‘buy his freedom’.
In response however, Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Patrick Onyango, dismisses claims that some people are being arrested on orders of being idle and disorderly and released after bribing their way out.
Onyango appeals to residents to report corrupt officers.
