Police arrest 34 people suspected of being part of criminal gangs in Kampala

This was revealed in a statement issued on the night of Tuesday, July 25th, 2023, by the deputy public relations officer, Kampala Metropolitan Area, Luke Owoyesigyire.

"The territorial Police at Central Police Station Kampala have today, July 25th, 2023, conducted a successful operation resulting in the arrest of 34 individuals suspected of being part of criminal gangs operating in the Central Business District," the statement read.

The statement further revealed that the gangs are believed to have been involved in quite a number of criminal activities.

"The gangs have been involved in various criminal activities, including vandalism of parked and moving motor vehicles, snatching of phones, pickpocketing, and other offences. The arrested suspects are currently in custody at the Central Police Station in Kampala, where investigations are underway. The operation remains ongoing, and the public will be informed of any further progress in due course."

This new development comes against the backdrop of a travel advisory sent to United Nations (UN) employees by the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) citing purported instability along the Entebbe Expressway and the Northern Bypass.

The advisory revealed that several of its employees have been victims of violent robberies by organised criminal elements along the indicated highways after sunset, which were orchestrated by young criminals aged 14 to 25.

The UN strongly recommended that its workers use the specified roadways with police escorts.

However, the Police refuted the allegations made by the UN in the travel advisory, saying that no violent crimes had been registered on the Entebbe Expressway.

"We are concerned about the travel warning because there are no crime reports to back up the claims. We would like to inform all travellers and motorists who use or intend to use the Entebbe Motorway of the alleged vulnerabilities of poor police response, which varies from less than 1 hour to 2 hours, uncoordinated patrols, reckless driving and over-speeding, especially at night, and dark sections along the motorway," a statement issued by the Police stated.

According to the statement, Police have started registering pop-up crimes on the Northern Bypass and have since cracked down on some of them.

The Police threatened to designate the advisory as malicious and overtly hostile communication intended to instil fear and terror if the UN fails to provide the Force with study data for follow-up and comparison.