Security agencies have vowed to take a tougher shoot to kill policy against armed robbers.

The shoot to kill policy was agreed upon today in a security meeting in Mukono Municipality between Uganda Police, Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), local leaders and the residents of Mukono Municipality.

The order Follows a rise in armed robberies in the Kampala Metropolitan area.

“We are going to kill them. I’m not used to these things of writing statements. We shall shoot them and then investigate where they got the gun from. You have to kill these thieves,” UPDF’s Lt. Col. Fred Mwesigye said.

Edward Ochom, the police Director in Charge of Operations warned, “These robbers have their agents. They are here, I know it. We are discussing Security (and) they want to hear what we are saying. But, if you are their agent, take the message, their days are numbered. We are not going to sympathise with them anymore, enough must be enough.”

Early this week, Flying Squad Unit and Mukono Police arrested two suspects, highly linked to the aggravated robbery of Spice Supermarket, located at ku Ssatu, in Namubiru ward, Mukono Central Division in Mukono Municipality on June 25th, 2022.

Spice Supermarket in Mukono which was robbed at gun point

“The two suspects were sighted on the eve of the robbery, while drinking at Cloud 9 bar, near the supermarket. They include Mugalu William, a 24-year-old resident, of Nasuuti cell, Ntawo ward, Mukono Central and Mbogo Sam, a 23-year-old, resident of Nasuuti cell, Ntawo ward, Mukono municipality. They were clearly identified by one of the witnesses who clearly saw them escaping from the scene,” police mouthpiece Fred Enanga said.

He added, “We are now working towards the recovery of the gun and identifying other members of the gang, who appear to be an amateur group. Such groups are usually desperate, panicky more high risk and willing to use violence.

“They shot a bullet through the computer, which injured Ssekandi Irene, through the stomach and exited from the back. We wish her quick recovery. A team of counsellors from CID Headquarters has been dispatched to offer counselling services to the victim.”

Enanga warned that even though attacks on supermarkets have not been so regular, police is anticipating more retail crimes on supermarkets, mobile money points, retail shops and markets due to high levels of unemployment among the youth, use of drugs, change in criminal tactics, where robbers attack softer targets with lesser security, such as supermarkets and the opportunity of get-away.

Yesterday, the Directorate of Crime Intelligence and Flying Squad Unit recovered a motor vehicle registration number UAD 728Y, a dark grey Toyota Corolla, which was parked at Ham Mukasa-Nasuti junction.

Upon searching the boot of the vehicle, the scene of crime officers found a sub machine gun loaded with three live ammunition that were wrapped in a yellow polythene sack.

“The team also found four sharp pangas, a sharp steel knife, two pairs of scissors, two pairs of pliers and two screw drivers. Other equipment that is used in breaking-in were also found in the car. Our teams also recovered items of different types of electronics, which are suspected to be stolen,” ASP Luke Owoyesigyire, the Deputy PRO Kampala Metropolitan Police said.

By Grapevine Reporter

The leadership of the Uganda National Association of Teachers Union (UNATU) are panicking after learning that a section of their members are mobilizing their colleagues to create a breakaway faction.

Robert Musasizi, the leader of the breakaway faction revealed to theGrapevine that UNATU leadership has failed to negotiate a good deal with government for the Arts teachers.

“It is true we are going to form our own faction like our friends who teach sciences did. They were struggling to have their salaries increased. UNATU was only promising them that the government was going to raise their pay. It was not until they established their own association that they reached a good deal with government which woke UNATU up,” Musasizi said.

He boasted that they have contacted half of all Arts teachers who have confirmed their readiness to join them.

He accused UNATU of creating fights between science teachers and their colleagues who teach Arts when the former’s salaries were increased.

“What they wanted was to create divisions among us so that they cover up for their failures,” Musasizi said.

However, when contacted, Filbert Baguma, the UNATU Secretary General rubbished Musasizi’s accusation and branded it a diversion.

“We cannot waste our time on such people, they just want to divert us from our fight to have salaries of all teachers raised,” he said.

He added that the industrial action is still on after they failed to agree with the vice president Jessica Alupo in today’s meeting.

Arts Teachers have now spent three weeks striking over the increase of their monthly pay.

By Sengooba Alirabaki

Controversial city businessman Mukesh Shukla Shumuk, who contested for Nakawa West parliamentary seat and lost is in trouble after National Unity Platform (NUP) spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi’s lawyers, and Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama’s Electoral Commission (EC) demand that he pays Shs.570m as Court costs resulting from the election petition he lost.

High Court Civil Division Deputy Registrar Jameson Karemani has summoned Mukesh to show cause why he shouldn’t be jailed for failing to pay the said Court costs.

Ssenyonyi’s lawyers of PACE Advocates successfully convinced Court that Mukesh should pay them a total of Shs.230m as costs for wasting their time in both the High Court and at the Court of Appeal.

The lawyers claim that after taxing the Shs.230m, lawyers will remain with Shs.81m.

Court agreed and endorsed their demand.

Sources at PACE Advocates have revealed that the Shs.81m is for lawyers alone since their client Ssenyonyi is also going to file his costs.

Sources further revealed that both Ssenyonyi and the Electoral Commission will file their bill of costs very soon and each is set to ask for Shs.170m.

It should be remembered that Court of Appeal presided over by Justice Geoffrey Kiryabwire, Justice Stephen Musota and Justice Christopher Gashirabake ordered Mukesh to pay the two respondents (EC and Ssenyonyi) half of their costs after losing his Appeal where he wanted Ssenyonyi’s victory canceled.

Justice Isaac Muwata of the High Court dismissed Mukesh’s petition at the High Court noting that even if he won the 8 polling stations where he claims that Ssenyonyi and the EC committed a lot of electoral offences, he wouldn’t have won the race.

Mukesh ran to court accusing the respondents of committing offences of ballot stuffing by changing the electoral results and failing to sign the declaration of results forms.

During the process of hearing his petition, Mukesh filed a number of applications which were also dismissed with costs.

By Sengooba Alirabaki