There was a gruesome incident in the new taxi park in Kampala when a mask vendor stabbed three KCCA enforcement officers and one of them is feared dead.
The incident happened on Friday afternoon when a vendor dealing in facemasks near the Kampala- Masaka stage in the new taxi park stabbed enforcement officers who had come to arrest him.
“The incident happened at around 12:30 pm when a group of enforcement officers together with a few police officers tried to arrest the vendor. In self defence, he stabbed three of them,” said Joseph Mugwanya Lubega, one of the eyewitnesses.
The eyewitness identified the suspect as Ali Gaba, the chairman for vendors in the old taxi park but was now operating in the new taxi park.
According to Mugwanya, one of the enforcement officers died while they were being rushed to the hospital.
When contacted for a comment about the matter, Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango confirmed the incident said the details he had about the matter were scanty.
“There was no death but the injured have been rushed to Norvik hospital for treatment,” Onyango said.
The Kampala police mouthpiece however referred this website to KCCA saying the suspect had been taken to court.
In the past, KCCA enforcement officers have been attacked by street vendors.
In one incident over three years ago, one staff lost an eye and another sustained brain injuries and spent over a month under intensive care in a hospital after being attacked.
The then KCCA Executive Director, Jenifer Musisi accused the Kampala political leadership led by the lord mayor, division mayors, and councilors for inciting vendors to attack KCCA law enforcement officers.
KCCA speaks out on enforcement officers stabbed in new taxi park
Because of the brutal attacks police in 2013 resolved to escort enforcement officers while carrying out operations in the city.
“Police will give you protection when you are doing a lawful job. Stick to the task and notify Police for protection,” the then Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander, Andrew Felix Kaweesi(RIP) told KCCA in 2013.
