By Peter Ssebulime
Lord Mayor Ssalongo Erias Lukwago on Wednesday pledged to push for the persecution of errant police officers in Kampala who shot a female student of Naalya SS, Lugazi, in the mouth, as they chased street vendors together with Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) operatives.
Lukwago revealed this when he, together with members of the newly constituted KCCA Executive Body, had visited the unfortunate girl, Lowena Racheal, who together with her mother, Iren Nakachwa, are hospitalised at Mulago Hospital after sustaining serious injuries in Tuesday’s brutal KCCA/Police operation against street vendors.
Lowena survived death by a whisker after a bullet ripped through her upper lip and razed all the teeth in the upper jaw. Her mother, who ekes a living from vending “Mukene” at Kasenyi landing site, had part of her elbow ripped off by a rubber bullet.
Racheal is a S.6 student at Naalya SSS, Lugazi Campus and was caught in the melee together with her mother at the Old Taxi Park as they headed to the Lugazi-bound taxi stage.
During the visit, the Lord Mayor and his KCCA team extended their humble support to the two afflicted Ugandans and made arrangements to have the duo transferred to a better health facility where they can get specialised treatment at KCCA’s expense.
They also made a commitment to ensure that they get justice and KCCA atones for the damages and injuries the duo suffered. They also pledged to push for the prosecution of the defacto Commandant of the KCCA Enforcement team, SSP Kituuma Rusoke and the errant Law Enforcement officers who wantonly and recklessly shoot at civilians.
In addition, Lukwago and the KCCA team demanded the removal of SSP Kituuma from KCCA, saying he has overstayed his mandate, after serving at KCCA close to a decade.
Finally, they committed to expediting the process of enacting into law the Bill for the Law Enforcement Ordinance as well as Street Trade Ordinance, which stalled pending finalization of the transition processes relating to the new KCCA legal regime.
