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Residents protest shooting of motorcycle rider

A bodaboda rider carrying a passenger in Mukono central town along Kampala-Jinja Highway.

Jinja, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Residents of Jinja-Misindye in Ggoma Division Mukono Municipality are protesting the shooting of a motorcycle rider for defying the presidential ban on public transportation.

Alex Oryem, a builder at Misindye was shot in the left leg by a police officer attached to Jinja-Misindye police station identified as Gidudu for carrying a passenger on a motorcycle Registration number UDM 199B contrary to the presidential directive issued on Wednesday night.

Despite the ban, several motorcycle riders in Mukono were seen carrying passengers, which prompted police to swing into action to enforce it. It is this process that Oryem was shot in the leg drawing protests from residents who want the force to apologise and take full responsibility of treating the victim.

Oryem told URN on his sick bed at Mukono General Hospital that he was riding on the motorcycle with his colleague Kassimu Ssebudde to the construction cite when he was shot by the officer.  According to Oryem, they only wanted to make money that will take them through this hard period.

Moses Sserunkuuma, one of the residents says police officers didn’t receive instructions to shoot at riders.  He says enforcing presidential order doesn’t mean shooting to kill, adding that people have dependents they must fend for.

Ruth Kaweesa, a Senior Clinician at Mukono General Hospital, said the gunshot victim would undergo surgery because his leg was shuttered seriously. The Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Patrick Onyango told URN that investigations into the matter have started.

He advised motorcycle riders to abide with the presidential directive for the good of the entire country.               

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URN

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