By Spy Uganda
The Uganda police have come under the spotlight for preferring to keep mouth-shut about the death of a head teacher identified as Eric Mutasiga, who was shot on Monday night in Mukono District by LDU operatives, and died shortly after being admitted to Mulago National Referral Hospital.
Mutasiga, who was a staunch Bobi Wine and People Power movement supporter, was shot in the thigh by LDU operatives during a scuffle that occurred in Wantoni Village, along Katosi Road, as they tried to arrest his neighbor, under the auspices of implementing the COVID-19 curfew.
The deceased was the headmaster for Merry Time Primary School and the Mukono People Power Youth Chairperson and was shot after he tried to plead with LDU operatives not to shoot boy who was selling Chapati.
The boy was being accused of flouting curfew guidelines as he was reportedly found selling chapatis past 19:00 hrs.
According to the deceased in a statement before his death, he had only rushed to the rescue of a neighbour who was being harassed by the LDU at about 19:00hrs as they stressed it was curfew time.
“I pleaded with them to set him free but they shot me. I spoke to them calmly, I thought they had sense,” the deceased was quoted.
Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson, Patrick Onyango had said the deceased was allegedly fighting off their officers, something that could not be backed by any proof as neighbours disputed it.
Prior to his death, Mutasiga, who is survived by a wife and kids pleaded to government to come to his rescue by catering for his medical bills such that he could undergo surgery although his pleas landed on deaf ears.
However, despite the fact that he was shot by LDU operatives who were together with police officers, the Uganda Police Force has sine decided to remain tight-lipped about the incident and have not issued a public statement about the shooting or his eventual death.
Our efforts to contact CP Patrick Onyango, the Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, about the matter were futile because he couldn’t be got on his known phone numbers, although he had earlier said that the deceased had allegedly been obstructing justice, an allegations Mutasiga denied prior to his death.
