Uganda People News: Residents block Kampala -Masaka road

www.ugpulse.com

2009 09 30

Angry residents have blocked Kampala -Masaka road after police reportedly killed one of their fellow residents.

The residents allege that Kapu Mugenyi was shot dead by a speeding Police Patrol Vehicle.

The road was blocked for over four hours as the residents demanded the Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura to go and explain why Kapu was killed.

According to the striking residents, Kapu was killed at Nabajuzi trading center near Masaka town.

The police command from Masaka district had to use reasonable force to force the residents unblock the road.

By the time Ultimate Media journalists left the area there was still heavy deployment of police and Military police.

The body of Kapu was taken to Masaka district mortuary. Some residents allege that Kapu was killed for political reasons. The deceased was the secretary general of Democratic Party for Kalungu constituency.

Police shooting causes riots in Masaka Wednesday

30th September, 2009

By Ali Mambule

A TAXI driver was shot dead by a policeman in Masaka yesterday, sparking off a demonstration in which residents blocked the Nyendo- Masaka road.

An eyewitness, John Ssebyala, said Fred Mugenyi was driving towards Nyendo, a Masaka suburb,  when a traffic Police vehicle approached.

Mugenyi, who reportedly did not have a valid driving permit, ran into a nearby banana plantation. The witness said a policeman followed him.

“A traffic Policeman, identified as Kugonza, chased him. He asked him to walk towards the vehicle but later shot him dead,” Ssebyala said.

In retaliation, angry mechanics, residents and bodaboda riders blocked the road with logs and metal bars.

Policemen, among them the district Police commander, Moses Mwanga, who attempted to quell the situation, were pelted with stones.

The anti-riot Police fired teargas to disperse the crowd, unblocked the road and took the body to Masaka Hospital.

Mwanga said the killer cop has been arrested. He also said investigations were underway to establish the circumstances of the incident.

Traffic policeman shoots taxi driver dead

30 09 2009

A traffic policeman in Masaka this morning shot and killed a taxi driver.

The policeman, John Gonzaga, who is attached to Masaka Central Police Station, allegedly killed Fred Mugenyi at about 11 a.m.

A witness of the shooting, Edward Tomusange, says that Officer Gonzaga was part of a team of police patrolling the Masaka-Kampala highway.

Tomusange claims that Gonzaga spotted the taxi driver calling for passengers at Nakayiba, just outside Masaka town and attempted to arrest him for overloading.

The taxi driver, Fred Mugenyi, however tried to escape arrest. Tomusange, who was fueling his car at Libra Petrol Station, which was just next to the scene, says Gonzaga pulled out his pistol and shot Mugenyi twice in the back in full view of pedestrians and motorists on the road.

The taxi driver lay on the ground for about five minutes struggling for his life before he bled to death.

The shooting of the taxi driver coincided with demonstrations by hundreds of Masaka residents protesting new road works in Nyendo. Once the crowds heard of the incident, they retaliated by confiscating a municipal garbage truck, registration number LG 0004-28, setting it on fire at Nakayiba.

Anti-riot police, who had until that point ignored the road works protests, swung into action. They fired tear gas canisters at the protestors in an attempt to disperse the mob. The determined protestors however regrouped in the central business district in Masaka to plan further acts of vengeance.

Mande Waliggo, the Manager Equator Touring Services, says Fred Mugenyi was employed by his company as a driver and a tout.

Moses Mwanga, the Masaka District Police Commander, says the Officer John Gonzaga has admitted to shooting the taxi driver. He says the traffic policeman is in detention at Masaka Police Station where charges of murder are being preferred against him.

Mwanga says the policeman’s actions are inexcusable. He says Fred Mugenyi was not armed and posed no real threat to anyone at the time of the shooting.

The body of the slain taxi driver is lying at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital.

The anti-riot police have been joined by military police, deployed around Nyendo town, to quell further protests.

Informations

Masaka is a city in southern Uganda, lying west of Lake Victoria. It is the chief town of Masaka District. Besides being the headquarters of Masaka District, the city is the regional headquarters and largest metropolitan area in Masaka District, Rakai District, Sembabule District and Kalangala District.

~ par Alain Bertho sur 1 octobre 2009.

Publié dans émeutes, riots