Police bans all high way roadblocks The Uganda Police have with immediate effect removed all road barriers and roadblocks along highways following a directive from President Yoweri Museveni. With this development, the public will no-longer fall prey to inconveniences and setbacks from traffic and other police officers who are always on duty at strategic points. […]
Police bans all high way roadblocks
The Uganda Police have with immediate effect removed all road barriers and roadblocks along highways following a directive from President Yoweri Museveni.
With this development, the public will no-longer fall prey to inconveniences and setbacks from traffic and other police officers who are always on duty at strategic points.
Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga told journalists at the police headquarters in Naguru that the presidential directive takes immediate effect and this will serve to benefit traders, business dealers, investors who have often complained about delays at roadblocks.
He says the zero barrier/road block directive on all major roads and highways, will also ensure free movement of goods and services.
Enanga has warned all individuals or groups who will be found staging illegal roadblocks to face the law. He has also cautioned the public to pay a keen eye and report all officers who will be netted in the act.
Police bans all high way roadblocks
“Therefore any individual or groups of officers who will be found in breach of this directive will definitely suffer consequences, of disobedience of lawful orders. We also call upon the public especially transporters to remain vigilant and report any officers who continue to mount road blocks with impunity to the National Operations Command Centre on telephone contacts 0800199699, 0707600773 and 0776999136,” says Enanga.
Enanga adds that other safety counter measures for traffic violations, trafficking of persons, or other indicators of crime will be handled by the Integrated Highway Patrol Units on all major roads and highways.
This directive comes as the country has recently registered a spate in highway robberies.
On January 23, 2022, at Bamunanika village along Mubende Kampala Highway, the thugs dressed in army uniforms and armed with toy guns, machetes, and hammers mounted a fake rodblock and robbed occupants of motor vehicle registration Number UBG709G Fusso that was loaded with 80 bags of maize.
In April this year, the Police Flying squad unit arrested six suspected masterminds of highway robberies along Kampala-Mityana road.
Charles Twine, the then Spokesperson of the Criminal Investigations Directorate-CID identified the suspects as Ibrahim Ssemuwemba, a resident of Busega Rubaga Division in Kampala, Ignatius Lwassampijja, a resident of Gombe village in Mityana, Hakim David, the chairperson Mirembe Kaweesa village in Kasanda district.
In May 2022, a case of an aggravated robbery occurred after gunmen attacked a Link bus in Mityana along the Kampala-Mubende highway. The bus Reg No. UBG 423G with 65 passengers was headed for Kampala but upon reaching Bamujugu swamp, the bus was intercepted by an illegal roadblock of about 10 robbers allegedly armed with guns and hammers.
Recently, the Bukwo District Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Charles Robert Ogwang, was shot 26 times in Matugga along Bombo road. The public was quick to say he was a victim of the armed robberies mounted by men donned in military attires.
In July 2022, Joint security agencies started probing 33 robbery roadblocks mounted by men donned in army attires on various roads across the country. 21 out of the 33 criminal roadblocks were erected on the stretch between Mityana and Mubende Districts.
Compiled by Minah Nalule
