The Nakaseke area police have denied allegations that they fired live bullets at individuals, including Barbie Kyagulanyi, as they attempted to disperse a group who gathered at a health facility to receive relief items.
The local police have denied allegations that they fired live bullets at individuals at the Kikamulo Health Centre III in Nakaseke, including Barbie Kyagulanyi, while they dispersed a group that had gathered to receive relief items.
In Luwero district, Barbie Itungo Kyagulanyi, the wife of the National Unity Platform party president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine, was reportedly attacked by police as she sought to help vulnerable people in Nakaseke.
In a statement via her social media handle, Barbie Kyagulanyi revealed that she was in the company of some legislators and had gone to deliver items including maternity beds, re-usable sanitary pads, ‘mama’ birth kits, jerricans of sanitiser, liquid soap, bar soap, basins, and clothes for new-born babies to teenage girls in Nakaseke who got pregnant following a lockdown on schools.
But she said as soon as the legislators got out of their vehicles to speak to the DPC, police officers immediately started firing teargas and bullets at the group and those inside the health centre to disperse them.
Barbie said this caused commotion as pregnant women, children and other people who had gathered in proper observance of Covid-19 guidelines fled in different directions to escape the unprovoked terror.
“Two ladies including an NTV Journalist were subsequently injured by teargas canisters and bullets fired at close range by the security officers. I was quickly evacuated from the scene and driven towards Bombo Town as police officers pursued us,” she revealed.
However, in a police statement dated 26 August 2021, the police area spokesperson, Isah Ssemwogerere said allegations that two people were shot at are not true.
He said due to the ongoing pandemic, Barbie together with her team were requested to make their contribution to the District Anti-Covid 19 task force who would then deliver the items to the targeted group but they refused.
Ssemwogerere said they went ahead to mobilize their supporters who gathered in large numbers and entered the health facility were the donations were going to be made.
The area spokesman said the manner was contrary to the Covid-19 measures aimed at culminating the spread of the virus which called for an alarm and the police only fired teargas to disperse the big gathering.
“This morning, the 26 August 2021, a team comprising of the area Member of Parliament of Nakaseke Central- Hon. Allan Mayanja, Ms Barbie Kyagulanyi and others had some items which they wanted to donate to Kikamulo Health Centre III in Nakaseke. As security, we advised the entourage to coordinate the pop-up distribution with the Distribution District Anti-Covid 19 task force of Nakaseke, at Butalangu who would then deliver the same to the health Centre,” Ssemwogerere said.
“The two refused to comply and instead mobilized their supporters who came in big numbers and entered the medical facility, contrary to the Ministry of Health guidelines on COVID-19. This necessitated the use of non lethal crowd dispersal methods including tear gas to disperse the crowds. Allegations that two people have been shot at is not true,” he added.
