Minister Jeje Odong pelted with stones, forced to flee from slain ASP Kirumira burial

There was chaos in Mpambire, Mpigi district on Sunday afternoon during the burial of former Buyende District police commander, ASP Muhammad Kirumira who was killed on Saturday.

Kirumira was shot dead by unknown assailants near his home in Bulenga, Wakiso district on Saturday evening.

On Sunday, many people thronged the slain maverick police officer’s home village in Mpambire, Mpigi district to attend the burial ceremony.

However, the charged crowds did not allow Internal Affairs Minister, Gen. Jeje Odong and police spokesperson Emilian Kayima were heckled at before being pelted by stones forcing them to abandon the function.

It all started as the duo arrived to attend the burial but the mourners started chanting people power and bottles started flying in the air towards the government officials.

Meanwhile, as the government officials insisted on forcing their way to have seats in a tent, stones started flying all over in a bid to hit them.

This prompted security led by the military and police to whisk the two government officials away for fear of repercussions.

In one incident, the Internal Affairs minister had to run away in the front seat of his escort patrol vehicle to escape the wrath of the angry people.

The same happened to the police spokesperson who was also not allowed to settle in the tent that had been prepared for them.

However, there was ululation when former Kampala Metropolitan Police operations commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police Sam Omala arrived for the burial.

Omala in February stood surety for Kirumira before his release from police detention over a number of charges related to unlawful exercise of authority.

Mourners on Sunday started chanting his (Omala) name before he asked them to keep calm and desist from violence.

Meanwhile, the police deployed a number of teargas trucks and two trucks full of military personnel before the situation returned to normal.

The events of heckling and pelting stones at the government officials came on the heel of another incident on Saturday night  in which President Museveni was also heckled at the scene where Kirumira was shot dead during his visit there.