Eight suspects arrested in connection to economic crisis protests

By Ben Musanje

8^th May 2023

At least eight suspects have been arrested for allegedly involving themselves into the economic crisis protests in Kampala.

Fred Enanga, the Police Spokesperson says that the suspects have been arrested from the areas of Lugala in Rubaga division and Bwaise in Kawempe coordinating logistical items with plans of burning government motor vehicles on the roads and cars parked at Police stations.

This comes after the heavy deployment of Police together with Military police along major routes, in city centers, and near government buildings, particularly in urban centers such as Kampala to counter a group of activists under the Uganda Freedom Activists who had called for a nationwide protest today to denounced corruption and economic hardships in the country.

He says that they were also found with materials used to make petrol bombs and had plans of looting operational businesses and shops within the city and they had hired motorcycles to facilitate their protests but these have been impounded.

Enanga says their reasons behind the protests are uncalled for since the economic challenges are global and the government is working tirelessly to address them.

Earlier, the Kampala City Traders Association in Uganda (KACITA) Chairman Thadeus Musoke Nagenda distanced themselves from supporting the protests.

Members of the opposition party, the National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED), through their spokesperson Moses Matovu have condemned the heavy deployment seen in and around Kampala saying there are more convenient ways of handling alleged protests than the heavy security deployment which they say disrupts general operations in the country.

End