A male vendor who was shot and injured in Kalerwe Market this morning as police dispersed market night guards who were demanding salary payments has succumbed to the bullet injuries.
Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire has identified the deceased as George Ssejemba alias M16, who was shot today as police dispersed market night guards who were protesting delays of their salary payments by the market management.
Police said that more than five night guards holding rudimentary weapons stormed the chairman’s office located at northern, market one of 8 markets that make up Kalerwe, and demanded their unpaid salaries, complaining that they weren’t ready to die of hunger.
Owoyesigyire said that the guards demanded for their salaries from the market management led by Hajji Abus, but when the chairman failed to show-up today, they turned more violent and police were forced to swing in action, and during the scuffles bullets were fired.
According to police detective Mariam Auso the Kalerwe Police station head of Criminal investigations Directorate-CID, Ssejemba who was among the people gathered and was hit by a stray bullet by one of the officer who was shooting at one of the protesters who tried to disarm him.
“Those People turned violent and started fighting police officers, that’s why police was forced to use more force, to disperse them and clearing away crowds, but unfortunately one person was caught by a stray bullet, and he died later,” said Auso”
Owoyesigyire says Police have recovered some of the exhibits including pangas and knives that were reportedly being carried by the demonstrators who had turned violent and two suspects have been arrested.
“More teams have been deployed in the market to ascertain facts, and so far two suspects who have refused to give us their real names have been arrested,” said Owoyesigyire. “These are the ringleaders of this group of this alleged night group, whose nicknames are are Gyagga and Shafick.”
Police says the body of the deceased, Ssejemba George, has been conveyed to the city mortuary in Mulago as the investigations and the hunt for other group accomplices continue.
