Police battles mob over market
Feb 25, 2007
KATOSI landing site in Mukono was the centre of drama last week when over 10 policemen and a team of district officials narrowly survived being lynched by an angry mob.
By John Semakula
KATOSI landing site in Mukono was the centre of drama last week when over 10 policemen and a team of district officials narrowly survived being lynched by an angry mob.
The group had gone to the site to evict officials of the Buganda government who had taken over management of a district market.
Led by the chairman, Francis Lukoya Mukoome, the district team ordered the Mengo officials to leave the market after accusing them of illegally occupying it and ignoring several directives to quit.
However, as the argument heated up, a mob emerged and started pelting Mukoome’s group with stones. The Police were forced to fire in the air to scare the rioters.
Erias Kasirabo, the Mukono Police chief, said some officers were injured but added that the people suspected to have incited the riot had been arrested.
He named the detained men as Iga Umar and Lubanga, both traders and residents at the landing site.
Kasirabo asserted that they would be charged with assault, malicious damage, and inciting violence.
By the end of the scuffle, the district authorities had the upper hand and replaced the Mengo group with Prime Investment Uganda Limited, a private firm contracted to manage the site.
KATOSI landing site in Mukono was the centre of drama last week when over 10 policemen and a team of district officials narrowly survived being lynched by an angry mob.
The group had gone to the site to evict officials of the Buganda government who had taken over management of a district market.
Led by the chairman, Francis Lukoya Mukoome, the district team ordered the Mengo officials to leave the market after accusing them of illegally occupying it and ignoring several directives to quit.
However, as the argument heated up, a mob emerged and started pelting Mukoome’s group with stones. The Police were forced to fire in the air to scare the rioters.
Erias Kasirabo, the Mukono Police chief, said some officers were injured but added that the people suspected to have incited the riot had been arrested.
He named the detained men as Iga Umar and Lubanga, both traders and residents at the landing site.
Kasirabo asserted that they would be charged with assault, malicious damage, and inciting violence.
By the end of the scuffle, the district authorities had the upper hand and replaced the Mengo group with Prime Investment Uganda Limited, a private firm contracted to manage the site.