Police names culprits, faults in Freedom City nigthmare

A senior police officer said that the announcer told the crowd to move outside for fireworks display before ensuring that exits were available. 

“There was only one exit point at the time the announcer told the revellers to move out and watch the display of fireworks. The venue has many exit points, but they are often open wide when the events have ended,” he said.

The chaos sprouted from confusion as revelers used access routes as exits where they encountered new revelers coming into the venue. 

In the Uganda Police guidelines for event management, it is forbidden to use a single route as an access and exit point at the same time.

The announcer has been named as a person of interest in the investigation according to Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesman Luke Owoyesigyire. Said announcer has since gone into hiding.

“We are looking for him. We are also looking for the organiser, Abbey Musinguzi alias Abitex, to tell us how they planned for the movement of people,” Owoyesigyire said yesterday.

Investigations are also focusing on how organisers allowed children inside the venue past the accepted time.

Of the nine people confirmed dead, six were juveniles. 

According to the police standards for night events, children aged 18 and below are not allowed to attend any entertainment event after 5pm.