Police have arrested 196 suspects in operations targeting crime hotspots across Kampala and surrounding areas, recovering suspected narcotic substances, pangas and other items.
Luke Owoyesigyire, the deputy public relations officer for Kampala Metropolitan Police, said the arrests were made in Kabalagala, Katwe, Kira Road, Nansana and Nakawa on October 21 and 22, 2026.
In Kabalagala, 28 suspects were arrested on October 21 in Maaso Ana Zone, Kansanga Parish, Makindye Division, during an operation targeting areas associated with mugging, thuggery and drug abuse.
Owoyesigyire said the suspects were allegedly found abusing or possessing suspected narcotic substances and were being processed for court.
In Katwe, 130 suspects, comprising 76 men and 54 women, were arrested during operations conducted between midnight and 4:20 a.m. on Thursday in Busabala, Kosovo Zone in Salama Parish, Kategula Zone in Kibuye II Parish and Ndeeba.
Owoyesigyire said three additional suspects — Muhammad Ali, Mukiibi Jovan and Semwanga Simon — were arrested in a related operation in Ndeeba after allegedly being found with two pangas concealed around their waists.
Police also recovered suspected narcotic substances, a claw hammer and a pair of pliers. Screening and investigations are ongoing.
In Kyebando and Bahai/Kikaaya, 14 suspects were arrested during an operation conducted by Kira Road Police on Wednesday in areas associated with drug abuse and other criminal activities.
In Nansana, police arrested Babirye Shakirah in Nabweru North Ward at about 6 p.m. on Wednesday over suspected marijuana dealing and allegations that she was harbouring individuals linked to criminal activities.
Owoyesigyire said Babirye allegedly resisted arrest and assaulted a police officer with a knife. She has been charged with assaulting a police officer on duty and possessing suspected narcotic substances identified as marijuana.
In Nakawa, 12 suspects were arrested during an operation conducted between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Wednesday in Bengazi Village, Nakawa Market. The operation involved police, local defence personnel and community vigilante teams.
The suspects were taken to Jinja Road Police Station and charged with frequenting places where opium is smoked and public nuisance.
Owoyesigyire said police would continue conducting targeted operations in identified crime hotspots to disrupt criminal activities and improve public safety.
This isn’t really surprising news given the effects of that draconian “TRADE ORDER” thing that led to the countrywide brutal destruction of people’s businesses WITHOUT FORETHOUGHT RECOURSE. To-date, these council officials are still ransacking young men and women who still have left something in them to try to make ends meet.
Uganda has no social assistance program, which would really have told the effects of your actions and the weight of them. What kind of magic do you expect people to perform to continue daily living at a bare minimum? MPs and all you bigwigs, what are you really doing with the huge sums of cash at your disposal to help in this matter … at least for your constituents? Did you calculate the cost for these orders? What are longterm effects on the population including the children and the unborn; how about Uganda at large? Yes, you’re peppering at other matters and making headlines, even donating billions to a certain book to promote in schools, where children attendance is dropping everyday due to fundless parents drowning in debts. Unless you guys really HATE the people you supposedly lead!! How come y’all are silent on this demolition of people’s livelihoods?
Maybe, because I don’t personally see how the said arrests are going to stem the tide, even though I STRONGLY CONDEMN CRIME, better build larger prisons, fast, and provide for a very huge Prisons budget … then we can keep up a large portion of Ugandans under lock and key, fed, given welfare & security, kept docile, and the secondary effect is that Uganda’s brain doesn’t really grow; it shrinks in the long run. Hence, we cultivate even bigger problems with poverty and keep ourselves at the mercy of donors and perhaps ruthless global sharks.
I can understand your despair, however, crime isn’t justifiable.