Abdul Nassar Kisuyi, the Busia deputy RDC
Gunfire rocked Busia market on Sunday as Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) enforcement officers fired live bullets in the air to disperse residents who allegedly attempted to block them from impounding smuggled goods at the Busia border.
The URA team was conducting an operation against smuggling when they intercepted goods from three suspected smugglers at Busia Main Market.
As the officers loaded the confiscated items onto a URA vehicle, a Toyota Noah registration number UBS 069C, residents reportedly turned rowdy and began pelting stones at the enforcement team. In response, the officers shot bullets into the air to disperse the crowd.
During the scuffle, Daniel Oundo, 32, a resident of Buchicha village in Sikuda Sub-County, Busia District, was injured by the URA enforcement vehicle.
He was rushed to Busia Health Center IV for treatment.
Thomas Galiwango, the URA Enforcement Officer in charge of the Busia border, confirmed the incident, saying the confrontation began when community members attempted to block officers from loading the impounded goods. “They forced us to shoot bullets. We had to call for backup from Busia Central Police Station, which helped restore calm,” Galiwango said.
James Mangeni, a resident who witnessed the fracas, claimed the clash started when locals tried to explain to the enforcement officers that the goods had only been transported from the taxi park to the market, but the officers ignored them.
Busia Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Abdul Nassar Kisuyi, condemned the manner in which the operation was carried out, saying the URA officers acted outside the cross-border enforcement guidelines. “It is wrong for URA enforcement to conduct an operation within an area of less than 10 kilometers. Police has already launched investigations into the matter,” Kisuyi said.
Nassar stressed the need to clearly distinguish between cross-border trade and smuggling, adding that operations must not provoke the public, especially during the current political season.
According to Kisuyi, a security meeting involving all security operatives at the Busia One Stop Border Post will be convened this week to address the matter and prevent similar incidents.
-URN
