KAMPALA – A 24-year-old taxi driver has been arrested in Kampala as tried to set himself ablaze outside Kampala Capital City Authority’ City Hall on Monday, July 13, 2020.
Police who stopped Bogere Wasswa the chairman of Bweyogerere Bukasa stage in Old Taxi Park, Kampala from killing himself says he went in front of City Hall, with a five-litre jerry can of petrol and matchbox with the intention to set himself ablaze.
Kampala Metropolitan Area Police Spokesperson Patrick Onyango said he was protesting operation on public service vans without route charts on Burton Street by KCCA.
“We were informed and picked him before he could set himself ablaze,” Mr Onyango said noting that “attempting to commit suicide is an offence”.
He is currently detained at Central Police Station in Kampala on attempted suicide offences.
Onyango urged members of the community not take their lives for matters that can be handled amicably handled by the concerned authorities.
The incident has come a few weeks after a motorcycle taxi operator died after setting himself on fire inside a police station.
Hussein Walugembe, 29, had visited the police station in Masaka, central Uganda, several times to retrieve his vehicle, which was impounded on Tuesday for violating a curfew.
A police officer was asking him to pay UGX. 100,000 much higher than the legal fine of UGX. 40,000 according to a friend who was at the police station with Walugembe.
His colleagues and friends stormed the police station after the incident, calling for action against officers who they say regularly harass them and force them to pay bribes.
