The Uganda Police is deeply concerned about the ongoing incidents of mob justice and urges the public to uphold the principle of presumption of innocence for suspects and to allow the opportunity for conducting proper interrogations.

The warning follows rising incidents of mob justice in different parts of the country.

ACP Kituuma Rusoke, PRO- Police revealed that on August 13, 2024, in Kijungu Cell, Kakoba Ward, Kakoba Division, Mbarara City, a man named Ddungu Amidu was lynched by a mob after he was found in possession of two stolen and slaughtered goats. Police arrived at the scene, collected the body, and transported it to Mbarara Hospital Mortuary for a postmortem examination. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.

Rusoke added that on August 14, 2024, between 1:30 am and 4:00 am in Kibubu Village, Buikwe District, five suspects—Sunday Swaleh Ricky, John (now deceased), Fahad, Emma, and Shadrach Magere—were allegedly involved in the theft of two cows. While transporting the meat on two motorcycles, one of which was registered as UXZ 656P, they experienced a puncture and stopped at Metha Sugarcane Plantation. Observers became suspicious of their gunny bags, believing they contained stolen items. When approached for questioning, the suspects fled into the plantation, prompting a chase by the crowd, which resulted in the arrest of two individuals: the deceased John and Shadrach Magere.

“They were beaten by the mob, but police intervened and rushed them to Kawolo Hospital, where unfortunately, John succumbed to his injuries. The mob continued to search for the remaining suspects, even setting fires in an attempt to flush them out. Sunday Swaleh Ricky was eventually cornered and sought refuge with police officers, leading to his arrest and subsequent detention at CPS Lugazi,” he said.

He added that on the same day, at approximately 5:00 am in Naziga Cell, Kyengera Town Council, Wakiso District, a man named Sekamate John was attacked by a mob that suspected him of theft. Sekamate was found in possession of a hammer and other tools commonly used for breaking and entering. The police intervened to rescue him from being lynched and quickly transported him to Mulago Hospital for medical treatment.

In the Elgon Region, police say they recorded another incident of mob justice. On August 16, 2024, a case was reported to the police involving mob action on Kufu Bukaweka Road in Muki Village, Habutola Sub-County, Manafwa District.

“It is alleged that the deceased, Edwin James Wamutibi, a 30-year-old resident of Bumwangu Ward in Manafwa Town Council, stole a motorcycle with registration number KMFB 463F from Namisindwa District and attempted to sell it to an individual known as Matembu. The motorcycle was being sold at Malwa Joint, owned by Walter Wamagale, a local councilor. While the buyer and seller were negotiating, the rightful owners of the motorcycle, who had been tracking Wamutibi, confronted him. Upon seeing the owners, Wamutibi fled, abandoning the motorcycle,” he reported.

The crowd that had been pursuing him chased him to Kufu along Bukhaweka Road, where he was stoned to death. His body was later found lying by the roadside. After the attack, the assailants fled the scene, leaving the motorcycle behind. The police transported the body to the mortuary in Mbale City and seized the motorcycle as evidence. Investigations are ongoing.

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Kampala tycoon Sudhir Ruparelia and a host of other city businessmen have attend the launch of Bukedea Sports Complex owned by Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among.

The facility is to be opened by President Yoweri Museveni this afternoon.

“Tomorrow (today)we will welcome our great leader and father Yoweri Museveni to Bukedea. He will officially open the Bukedea Sports Park, which includes a football stadium, an indoor sports arena, and an Olympic size swimming pool hosting the FEASA games. This new facility will greatly promote sports in our community” Speaker Among wrote on her X space yesterday.

As she launched the facility, she also hosted top Kampala businessmen led by chairman of Ruparelia Group and Chairman Kwagalana group, Godfrey Kirumira, Hamis Kiggundu among others to witness the launch.

At least 1,775 school teams from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda have arrived and registered to compete in this year’s East Africa Secondary School Games, which will officially begin in Bukedea District on Sunday.

Bukedea Comprehensive School and Amus College are hosting this year’s games, which will feature sixteen sports disciplines. Host director and Speaker of Parliament Annet Anita Among has challenged the government to build modern sports facilities in each district of Uganda to support the development of sports.

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Brigadier General Joseph Semwanga, the Infantry Division Commander has underscored the importance of training, stating that successful military operations rely on well-trained soldiers.

He said that in today’s dynamic security environment, building capacities through training is crucial to meeting expectations and addressing global security challenges.

Brig Gen Semwanga, who represented the Chief of Defence Forces, was yesterday speaking at the pass-out of soldiers who completed the Military Police Level III Course at the Military Police Training School, Masindi. He reminded soldiers that the Chief of Defence Forces has emphasized strength and endurance through training and competition exercises to ensure combat readiness.

 He urged soldiers to prioritise their health, maintain morale and spirit, and leverage their training to perform duties with confidence, courage, and zeal, wherever they are deployed.

The Deputy Commandant Military Police Brigade, Col Napoleon Namanya, emphasized that the skills and knowledge gained through training, demonstrated by the graduates, will enable them to overcome operational challenges when applied in the field.

He encouraged them to uphold UPDF’s core values and ethos, including discipline, teamwork, and loyalty, to achieve success.

 The Commandant Military Police Training School, Col Amon Kagina, said that the course aimed to equip the trainees with knowledge and skills for combat readiness. He urged them to instill discipline, maintain performance, and conduct operations with excellence, leading by example as per the motto ‘By Example We Lead.’

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The Uganda Microfinance Regulatory Authority (UMRA) has issued a list of online money lending applications (apps) operating illegally and traumatizing Ugandans with abnormal interest rates ranging from 28% to 37% and questionable practices of threats and blackmail.

UMRA, which is mandated to license, regulate and supervise Tier 4 Microfinance Institutions and Money Lenders in Uganda, says the online credit/loans are operating in contravention of the Tier 4 Microfinance Institutions and Money Lenders Act, 2016 and the Tier 4 Microfinance and Digital lending guidelines 2024.

Some of the apps include; iKash, Flypesa, banana app, Loango, Nile, gloan app, Boom loan, Mpacash, Cashpulse, Credit lab, Flowerloan, Wind-money, Lever credit, Cashmate, Ezee loan, Kasente, Sunlit, Wind money, Cashflow, Moji, Ozzy money, Mumu money, Kasquick, More Pesa, Muno, My loan, Real Cash, Star Loan, Get Cash.

“These unauthorized entities mostly employ the use of mobile applications and social media platforms to lure the public into borrowing from them,” UMRA said in a statement.

“The activities of these unauthorised entities further amount to non-adherence with the Consumer Protection requirements of UMRA and are an abuse of consumer data privacy. They also violate the recently issued Tier 4 Microfinance Institutions and Money Lenders Digital lending guidelines 2024. The purpose of this public notice is therefore to caution the general public to desist from transacting with unauthorized loan providers,” it added.

One victim of iKash narrates that his photo and national ID were recorded in a tiktok video which circulated alleging that he is a serial thief of motorcycles and when found should be reported to the nearest police station.

The recording came out after him delaying to pay back a debt of Shs100, 000 having been given a loan of Shs50.000 and had to give them a profit of Shs50,000 within one week.

Like other Apps, iKash stretched to the next of kin/emergency contacts of the borrower without their knowledge and consent, harassed and tormented them using their unprofessional loan recovery agents and tagged them as the dealers in the theft of motorcycles in the suburbs of Kampala.  

Unlike banks and other financial institutions that ask for collateral to acquire a loan, the instant loan app requires the applicant to have a national identity card and two guarantors.

These apps are also accused of charging exorbitant interest rates ranging from 28% to 37%.

Online lenders generally source clients either through sending out unsolicited bulk text messages with tempting offers of quick-fix unsecured loans or unregulated social media advertising, or by word of mouth.

Money is wired directly to an applicant’s mobile money account. No face-to-face contact ever occurs.

Loans between Shs30,000 and Shs150,000 must be paid within eight days, and anything between Shs160,000 and Shs290,000 in 21 days, while Shs300,000 and more are given 30 days.

There is also use of unregistered mobile phone numbers during the recovery process, which could be aided by unscrupulous individuals within the security services.

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