Uganda Police Force (UPF) spokesperson, Mr Kituuma Rusoke, told journalists at the Force’s headquarters in Kampala on Monday that they had detained hundreds of suspects on several charges, including burglary, robbery, use of narcotics, and street mugging, among other related crimes. He said the operations by security operatives targeted known and suspected blackspots, hideouts, and narcotic hubs with the recoveries of weapons, stolen items, and other exhibits.

Nearly 2,000 people have been arrested in a one-week police swoop in Uganda following a wave of crime that has hit the country.

The East African nation has witnessed an upsurge in murders and unprecedented cases of robberies on the streets of Kampala and other towns across the country, as well as home break-ins in the past few days following the January 15 General Election, causing panic among some citizens.

Uganda Police Force (UPF) spokesperson, Mr Kituuma Rusoke, told journalists at the Force’s headquarters in Kampala on Monday that they had detained hundreds of suspects on several charges, including burglary, robbery, use of narcotics, and street mugging, among other related crimes. He said the operations by security operatives targeted known and suspected blackspots, hideouts, and narcotic hubs with the recoveries of weapons, stolen items, and other exhibits.

“We arrested over 700 suspects in Kampala Metropolitan Area, as we targeted known blackspots, hideouts, and narcotic hubs. The number of suspects arrested countrywide has reached 1,905,” he said.

Mr Kituuma noted that during the operations, several narcotic drugs, as well as stolen items and other exhibits, were recovered.

Kampala has in recent months experienced a mix of high-profile thefts, muggings, and gang-related attacks, particularly in crowded transport hubs and commercial zones.

Police have acknowledged an uptick in robberies and violent snatching cases, attributing some of the rise to repeat offenders reportedly released on bail in the past.