The Uganda Police Force has confirmed that the recent shootings involving security personnel were not the result of organized crime or an attack targeting the community.

Police Spokesperson SCP Fred Enanga described recent incidents as a string of isolated and reckless shootings.

According to SCP Enanga, police responded to the three shooting incidents, two of which stemmed from anger and rage by a police officer in Mbarara and a Saracen security guard in Tororo Municipality, adding that the third shooting was by another police officer in Mukono Municipality due to a mistaken identity.

“As the Joint Security Agencies, we remain concerned over the recent string of shootings, which points to a larger societal problem. Life is not valued the way it was before. For instance, the two shootings in Tororo and Mbarara were over petty conflicts that led to the deaths of two people. In Tororo, Okedi Moses, a 35-year-old Saracen guard, picked up a gun and shot dead his colleague over his failure to return his SIM card and Saracen Staff Sacco Membership Card. He was arrested for murder,” SCP Enanga said.

He said the public should know that suppressing the aggressive conduct of an officer or security guard remains a priority. We are working with other security agencies and partners, like private security organizations, to ensure we have the right policies, intelligence, detection, and enforcement. As you are all aware, gun violence has greatly decreased in the past due to intensive policing and a strict gun policy.

In Mbarara, our officer, PC Opio Charles, shot dead L/CPL Turyamureba Yeremiah, a UPDF officer attached to Ruhengyere Engineering Brigade in Kiruhura, over a woman. It was, therefore, a crime of passion.