Police warn of arrests as suspects steal govt road construction materials

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Police in the Savanna Region have launched investigations into the theft and illegal diversion of materials meant for government road construction projects.

Addressing journalists on March 2, 2026, at Police Headquarters in Naguru, Kampala, Police spokesperson Rusoke Kituuma said officers attached to Nakaseke Central Police Station are conducting operations targeting individuals sabotaging road works.

The crackdown focuses on the Luwero–Kapeeka–Nakaseke road project, where officers on February 27 carried out an operation that led to the recovery of substantial quantities of road construction materials suspected to have been stolen.

“We have a problem where some individuals take advantage of ongoing government road construction projects to illegally acquire aggregates, asphalt and other materials,” Kituuma said.

He explained that in some areas where major government roads are being constructed using asphalt, smaller access roads have mysteriously emerged using similar materials.

“We are not saying that people should not improve their roads. But you must not use government materials to do so,” he warned.

Police believe some individuals are buying construction materials from workers attached to government projects, an act authorities say amounts to theft and economic sabotage.

Kituuma cautioned members of the public against purchasing suspicious construction materials, saying several suspects are already under investigation.

“There is already a case ongoing. We are using this platform to educate and warn the public. If you buy materials stolen from government projects, you become a suspect,” he said.

He stressed that police will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute anyone found diverting or illegally acquiring materials meant for public infrastructure projects.

The operations, he said, are part of broader nationwide enforcement efforts aimed at protecting government investments and ensuring value for public funds.