Crime
More than 2,000 people arrested for flouting curfew guidelines in week one of partial reopening
A total of 2,076 persons were arrested by police last week for flouting partial lockdown and curfew.
While addressing the press at Naguru on Monday morning, CP Fred Enanga the police spokesperson noted that 1,310 were cautioned and released, 380 were released on bond but supposed to appear in Court, 58 are pending court because their files had not yet come back from the Resident State Attorneys.
Meanwhile, 328 other persons already appeared before Court. Police impounded 907 motor vehicles. 366 were issued with EPS tickets, 506 motorists were cautioned, while 35 vehicles are still parked in different locations across the country.
3,282 motorcycles were impounded, 2,366 were issued EPS tickets, 569 riders including Boda bodas were cautioned, while 347 motorcycles are still parked at different police stations across the country.
President Yoweri Museveni announced a partial lifting of the lockdown on 30th July, allowing some sectors of the economy, including private and public transport to operate.
He however announced curfew starting at 6PM for motorcycle riders and 7PM for drivers and pedestrians. The move is aimed at controlling night gatherings that may cause spread of COVID-19.
Now, Enanga says that several taxis and buses only observe the 50% capacity guidelines when loading from parks, but add more people along the way. He warned that the traffic enforcement teams will deal with these. He added that boda boda riders are also carrying more than 1 person, which is against the Presidential directive that made it clear that only one person shall be carried on a motorcycle at a given time.
According to Enanga, several people down town Kampala are not practicing social distancing and this could cause trouble, sending the country into the 3rd wave of COVID-19.