The name Kifeesi is trending and has taken over all media platforms in Uganda; it is attributed to the thieves in Kampala though opposition guru Dr Kizza Besigye refers to some police officers as Kifeesi.
However, the origin and organization of notorious group is still not clear to many despite police saying it was one time working with the Kifeesi as ‘informants’.
But today, while addressing the media the Central Police Station District Police Commander (DPC) Superintendent of Police Aaron Baguma said there is no group called Kifeesi in Kampala and that all those who claim to be part of the so called notorious gang are habitual criminals.
“No one can explain the institution of Kifeesi, neither has a given person claimed to be their leader,’’ Baguma said before introducing 210 suspected criminals believed to be Kifeesi.
Baguma added: ‘’ we as police shall continue to arrest all the criminals in the city but all Ugandans should know that the city is still safe and free since there is nothing like Kifeesi as the claim was before’’.
All the suspects were nabbed from the water channel that winds its way through former Kisekka Market down to the railway.
They however, blamed police for carrying out indiscriminate arrests.
Wilson Bituli, who claims to be a hawker operating from Arua Park and ‘a supporter of NRM’, said he was arrested from his workplace.
“My workmates tried to explain to the officers but all in vain as they went ahead and arrested me,” he said adding that he stays in Nansana with his father, Jimmy Nkutu, who was a ‘policeman with three ranks’’’.
Meanwhile, other suspects said despite having their ‘ordinary IDs’ the police never listen to their explanations.
But Baguma reiterated the police stand, saying those above 18 will be produced before court, while the juveniles would be handed over to some organizations for rehabilitation.
For sometime now the crime rates in Kampala and its suburbs has been on the rise, prompting queries from the citizenry.
Meanwhile, one of the relatives of those arrested today was overheard saying that the police had ‘sought the services of the Kifeesi to help in restraining the opposition’.
