National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Bobi Wine has condemned the shooting of a citizen in Ndejje during Uganda’s latest National Cleaning Day exercise, accusing security officers of using excessive force against civilians.
Wine said the incident marked a dangerous escalation in the enforcement of the government’s cleaning campaign, recalling reports of violence during the first exercise.
“No, this criminality must stop! The first time they did a cleaning campaign, people were brutalised and maimed,” Wine said in a statement reacting to the incident.
The NUP president claimed that the situation had worsened during Saturday’s exercise, alleging that a citizen was shot dead in Ndejje as security officers enforced the restrictions imposed during the cleaning exercise.
“Today, they've taken it a notch higher - a citizen has been shot dead in cold blood in Ndejje!” Wine said.
His remarks followed reports that a boda boda rider was fatally shot in the Ndejje area of Wakiso District on Saturday, August 29, during the exercise.
Police have said the deceased was Kizito Ronald Jjuuko, a 38-year-old boda boda rider. Preliminary police information indicated that a police officer attached to Ndejje Police Station discharged his firearm during an encounter with the rider.
The officer, identified as Police Constable Allan Okello, was arrested as investigations were launched to establish the circumstances surrounding the shooting and whether the use of the firearm was justified.
However, witnesses cited in reports about the incident have disputed aspects of the police account. Some alleged that officers were forcing boda boda riders to stop and participate in the cleaning exercise before the shooting occurred.
Wine echoed those claims, saying, “According to onlookers, the police and military committed this crime while forcing boda boda riders to stop and sweep.”
He described Jjuuko as an unarmed citizen and accused the security personnel involved of acting recklessly.
“Just like that, an unarmed citizen lost his life to these trigger happy criminals!” Wine said.
The Uganda Police Force has maintained that investigations are ongoing and that the circumstances leading to the shooting must be established.
The National Cleaning Day exercise is held on the last Saturday of every month, with authorities restricting movement during designated morning hours to facilitate nationwide cleaning activities.
The killing is likely to intensify scrutiny of how security agencies enforce the exercise, particularly after previous concerns over alleged harassment and excessive use of force against members of the public.