Over 1,000 arrested in nationwide crime crackdown

KAMPALA - At least 1,095 suspects have been arrested in intelligence-led operations conducted across the country, with more than 700 picked up within the Kampala Metropolitan Area, Police have said.

Addressing the weekly joint security briefing at the Police force headquarters in Naguru, Kampala today, January 23, 2026, Police spokesperson Rusoke Kituuma said the operations were carried out between February 16-22, targeting burglary, aggravated robbery, narcotics trafficking, street muggings and related crimes.

“I want to assure the public that the Uganda Police Force and sister security agencies treat these concerns with the seriousness they deserve. These were intelligence-led operations targeting suspected black spots, criminal hideouts and narcotics hubs,” Kituuma said, noting that the figures could even rise slightly as some operations extended into late hours.

According to Kituuma, the majority of the suspects were arrested within the greater Kampala metropolitan policing areas. 

In Kampala Metropolitan East, 224 suspects were arrested, while Kampala Metropolitan South, covering Entebbe, CPS Kampala, Katwe and Kajjansi accounted for 510 arrests.

In Kampala Metropolitan North, police followed up on a viral video showing machete-wielding attackers assaulting a man and injuring members of his family before robbing them.

Kituuma said three suspects were arrested and three motorcycles impounded in connection with a machete attack downtown Kampala, while more suspects are still being hunted.

Major crackdowns were also conducted in Kireka, Mukono, Nansana, Kawempe, Katwe and Entebbe. 

In Entebbe, 20 suspects were arrested and, after screening, four were identified as having been involved in aggravated robberies.

Police also responded to public complaints about attacks on motorists along the Northern Bypass near Nakawa traffic lights. 

Four suspects were arrested during the operation, and several stolen motor vehicle parts, including side mirrors, were recovered. 

Kituuma appealed to members of the public whose vehicles may have lost side mirrors, especially those with engraved number plates, to liaise with police and identify their property, noting that such engagement could also provide investigators with further leads.

Beyond the Kampala metropolitan area, operations were conducted in several regions across the country. 

In Aswa West, 184 suspects were arrested, while 102 were picked up in the Savannah Region.

East Busoga recorded 27 arrests, Elgon Region 19, and West Nile 14
Kituuma emphasised that many of the arrests and recoveries were made with support from community members, bodaboda riders, local leaders and other security agencies.

“The main goal is to disrupt gangs, prevent night crime and secure marketplaces and streets to enable lawful business,” he said, explaining that police sometimes conduct preemptive sweeps of suspected hideouts to disrupt criminal planning before attacks are executed.

“We must disrupt them in their hubs before they come to the crime scenes,” he added.
Kituuma also highlighted the broader public safety role played by police, citing a rescue by the Fire and Rescue Services unit, which saved a juvenile who had fallen into a pit latrine in Masindi. 

In a related intelligence-led operation in Soroti, police arrested a female suspect found in possession of 261 passports, certificates of good conduct, yellow fever cards and URA payment receipts allegedly being processed illegally from her residence. 

The suspect remains in custody as investigations continue, with police pursuing additional individuals believed to be part of the racket.