IGP Ochola orders crackdown on bars, eating points after Komamboga attack

The Inspector General of Police, John Martins Okoth Ochola has directed police commanders to strictly enforce Covid guidelines especially on bars, eating points and entertainment places among other areas that bring together a big number of people.

Addressing journalists on Monday, Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga said a number of people are disregarding the covid standard operating procedures, an act he said is likely lead to the spread of the virus.

“People have failed to realise the importance of voluntary compliance and use of common sense which are very critical in stemming the spread of Covid . The IGP has come out to strongly instruct all territorial commanders to step up Covid enforcement measures,”Enanga said.

Komamboga incident

On Saturday night, a bomb blast targeting revelers at a pork joint at Komamboga , a Kampala suburb killed one person and left three others critically injured in an attack that police has attributed to domestic terrorism.

Global terrorist group, the Islamic State has since claimed responsibility for the attack but Ugandan security has said they can neither confirm nor deny whether IS had a hand in the blast.

Some eyewitnesses have since claimed that the eating point where the incident happened was frequented by VIPs and other security personnel .

These said that because of this, the place has been operating in disregard of the Covid standard operating procedures including curfew and social distancing.

Without necessarily linking it to the Komamboga incident, the police spokesperson said many bars and entertainment places have forcefully reopened in total disregard of the Covid guidelines and SOPs but noted that these are to face the wrath of the law after the latest directive by IGP Ochola.

“A number of individuals and groups are not bothered at all, they don’t put on masks, there is no social distancing but there is also total disregard to curfew. After the Saturday(Komamboga attack), we rounded up people in Namugongo and at a certain eating point in Lubaga violating these guidelines,” Enanga said.

“This behaviour of laxity has been compounded by some acts of laxity by our commanders and selective enforcement of Covid SOPs at bars and entertainment centres. As part of our support to Ministry of Health, all territorial commanders are warned to fully enforce covid SOPs.”

The police spokesperson said the commanders who fail to enforce the SOPs risk losing their jobs and also arraigned before the Police disciplinary court.

Enanga however asked members of the public to take it upon themselves to ensure they adhere to guidelines and SOPs since enforcement starts with them.