34 suspects were arrested from different highway points in Jinja city, four suspects were arrested from Kakira town council and three others were arrested from Buwenge town council. The suspects are currently detained at different gazetted police stations within the Kiira policing area.
Police in the Kiira region, on Monday evening, confirmed the
arrested of 41 youths who are accused of being involved in the protests within Jinja city and Jinja district at large.
34 suspects were arrested from different highway points in Jinja city, four suspects were arrested from Kakira town council and three others were arrested from Buwenge town council. The suspects are currently detained at different gazetted police
stations within the Kiira policing area.
The suspects are said to have been part of the bigger group
of youths who spent the better part of the day in running battles with
security personnel. The youths held protests over the increasing commodity prices,
citing what they called the government’s failure to provide short-term solutions to address the
situation.
They placed logs and lit tyres in the different
trading centres along both the Jinja-Kamuli and Jinja-Iganga highways, blocking
traffic throughout the day. The youths further attacked motorcyclists, passengers and drivers
alike, whom they accused of declining to join their protest and forcefully
bypassing the stationed road blocks.
While addressing journalists on Monday evening, the Kiira
regional police spokesperson, James Mubi said that the suspects engaged in
unlawful activities like robbery, illegal blockage of traffic, taking part
in unlawful assembly, malicious damage and economic sabotage, which largely interrupted
the smooth operation of other activities in the city and surrounding
areas.
Mubi further accused what he termed selfish individuals
of fueling these ongoing protests for their individual gains. Mubi stresses that the suspects are facing several counts
ranging from inciting violence, and public nuisance to robbery.
