Members of the public have expressed dismay at Police’s reluctance to heed a terror alert that was issued by the UK earlier this month.
The anger from the public comes on the heels of a suspected bomb blast that happened at Digida Pork Joint in Kyanja-Komamboga, Kampala on Saturday night. According to reports, a girl identified as Emily together with a yet-to-be-identified man perished in the blast that left scores injured.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga confirmed the blast but called for calm as the force carries out more investigations to establish more details about what exactly happened. The blast evokes memories of the 2010 Kyadondo bomb attack which killed scores of revellers that were watching the world cup final which was won by Spain.
It should be noted that earlier this month, the UK warned her citizens in Uganda to be more vigilant, with fears rife that Uganda was at risk of being attacked by terrorists. This was shortly after the country agreed to host Afghan evacuees following the withdrawal of American troops from the Arab country. It is however not yet clear if the blast is linked to the kind act of hospitality.
Curiously, the Uganda Police was very quick to dismiss the terror threat, assuring citizens that the country was under no threat at all. Consequently, this brought about laxity among the locals as well as proprietors of public places. Reports also indicate that Digida Pork Joint has been one of the most flocked places in Kampala where patrons dined and wined till late hours.
This has brought queries of the police’s enforcement of the curfew, with many putting the blame on the Police’s discriminate enforcement of the same , while others have blamed the matter on corrupt tendencies which have seen high ranking officers take bribes from bar owners to instead offer them protection while they flout curfew orders.
