Police fires bullets as Boda Boda 2010 members protest suspected military arrest

Police had to fire bullets in the air to disperse Boda Boda 2010 members who turned rowdy following the arrest of their colleagues by security operatives suspected to be from the military in Nateete.

According to the Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire , police swung into action after the boda boda 2010 members brewed chaos by blocking the main roads leading to the city centre as they set up bonfires.

“We intervened and shot rounds of bullets in the air to disperse the rowdy boda boda riders,”Owoyesigyire said.

Asked to comment on what could have caused the protest, the police mouthpiece said he was not in position to understand that because they were only  called in after the situation got out of hand as boda boda riders brought business to a halt.

“We don’t know why they were doing that may be you can connect the dots,” he said.

When contacted about the operation, UPDF spokesperson, Brig.Richard Karemire denied the army having carried out any operations in Nateete.

The Internal Security Organisation Director General, Col.Kaka Bagyenda also denied any involvement of the security and intelligence organ in any arrest in the area.

“There was no such attempt,”Col.Kaka told the Nile Post when contacted on phone.

“I think police was around and fired in the air but none of my elements was involved.”

In July, Police in Wakaliga, a Kampala suburb had to fire bullets to disperse two rival boda boda factions, one of them being Boda Boda 2010 who were fighting.

Armed with weapons like pangas, hoes, sticks, machetes the boda boda factions fought, injuring each other whereas property including boda bodas and vehicles were vandalised.

In October, members of the group stopped a bus belonging to Winter Land Primary School in Kyebando carrying pupils who were heading to Nkumba to perform at the police day celebrations beating the police officer who was escorting the bus, before injuring a crime preventer who was also in the bus.

In all incidents, orchestrators of the violence involving Boda Boda 2010 have not been brought to book.

Abdalla Kitatta, the proprietor of Boda Boda 2010 and also the NRM chairman for Rubaga is connected to the Inspector General of Police, Gen.Kale Kayihura.

Recently, Gen.Kayihura said that Boda Boda 2010 has helped police in especially during demonstrations and protests in the city from opposition politicians, adding that those who want the group disbanded are enemies of peace in the city.