Protestors on Friday stormed Mukono Resident District Commissioner’s office demanding justice for the head teacher who died this week at Mulago after he was shot by a police officer enforcing curfew.
Four of the protestors led by Ms Lydia Namayengo, a resident of Kasangalabi village in Mukono District were, however, arrested by Mukono police for allegedly inciting violence and holding unlawful assembly.
Others arrested included Ivan Tamale Nkoyoyo, Peter Kimbungwe Mugaru and Henry Lubanga.
“We condemn the continuous brutality being meted out against innocent citizens by the police, Local Defence Unit (LDU), military and other security agencies. We demand that all the police officers involved in the shooting of one of the teachers of our kids, Eric Mutasiga be produced in court and charged accordingly,” Ms Namayengo said before her arrest.
The protestors also demanded an explanation from the RDC, DPC, DISO of Mukono District and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Martin Okoth Ochola, why police officers involved in shooting unarmed citizens go unpunished.
Armed with placards with writings, ‘Black Lives Matter, Mukono Lives Matter, Justice Must Be for all not for NRM, M7 or the Rich,’ the protestors asked government to compensate Mutasiga’s family and several other Ugandans who have suffered the same fate in the hands of the security personnel ever since the lockdown was announced by President Museveni in March this year.
However, after their arrest, the officer in charge of Mukono police station, Mr Ismail Kifudde said the protestors would be charged with inciting violence and unlawful assembly.
Mutasiga shooting
Mutasiga, the head teacher of Merry Time Primary School was on April 14 shot in the thigh by police officers as he tried to protect a teenager who was found at his shop in Wantoni Mukono District selling chapati a few minutes past 7pm.
He was later admitted to Mulago National Referral Hospital where he breathed his last on June 8.
One of his neighbours, Mr Moses Mukasa, said two officers tried to arrest the chapati vendor and when Matasiga intervened, he was shot by an officer in civilian clothes as he pleaded for the vendor to be pardoned.
Mutasiga’s widow, Ms Viola Nabatanzi said that on the fateful day, she received a phone call at around 7:30 pm announcing that the father of her two kids had been shot by police.
She said Mutasiga was first rushed to Namirembe hospital in Mukono but was later referred to Mulago national referral hospital for better medical management.
She said they reported the case to police but were never helped.
“When we reported the matter to police, we expected a thorough investigation and justice for my husband. However, seems our case was never taken serious because on the following day, police heads appeared on television claiming my husband was fighting the officers before he was shot in self-defence. The police heads and the Force’s spokesperson lied to protect their officers,” she said.
“We never heard from them (police) after my husband was admitted to Mulago. We struggled with the medical bills until he breathed his last. I did not even know that I would lose him until he was taken to the theatre on Monday and pronounced dead hours later,” she said.
Mutasiga was the family’s sole breadwinner.
“Now I have nowhere to get support for our children. I want justice for my husband. The officers should be brought to book, I want to see them in Court,” she told mourners on Wednesday.
The victim’s mother speaks out
Mutasiga’s mother, Ms Joy Ntasiga Namugaru, described him as a kind, caring and a hardworking son.
“My son didn’t deserve to be shot by officers supposed to protect his life. What did he really do to necessitate the shooting? Why are police officers reckless with their guns? Why do they shoot innocent people? Now how am I going to survive?” the tearful Namugaru wondered endlessly.
What police have done so far
Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson, Mr Luke Oweyesigyire on Wednesday said the two officers were arrested and the case was forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
“We haven’t received the file back but we suspended the two officers as we continue to investigate,” he said.
Mutasiga who was buried on Wednesday in Nakisunga Sub County in Mukono District becomes the seventh person to be killed by law enforcement officers while implementing the COVID-19 preventive guidelines over the last 75 days.
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