HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I What was meant to be a routine community sanitation exercise turned tragic on Saturday morning after a boda boda rider was shot dead by a police officer at Ndejje Kanaaba in Makindye-Ssabagabo, Wakiso District.
The deceased was identified as Kizito Ronald Jjuuko, a 38-year-old boda boda rider whose identity was established using his National Identification Card.
The shooting occurred at about 7:30 a.m. on August 29, 2026, during the monthly National Cleaning Day exercise, an initiative that brings together communities, local authorities and security agencies to clean public spaces and promote sanitation.
According to the Uganda Police Force, officers from Ndejje Police Station had been deployed to provide security and enforce compliance during the exercise. Part of the area where the cleaning exercise was taking place had been restricted to traffic and members of the public.
Police said preliminary information indicates that Jjuuko, while riding his motorcycle, attempted to force his way through the secured area.
“In circumstances that are now under investigation, the rider was allegedly shot by Police Constable Allan Okello, a police officer attached to Ndejje Police Station,” the Uganda Police Force said.
Constable Allan Okello has since been arrested and is being held as homicide detectives investigate the circumstances that led to the discharge of his firearm.
Police said the investigation will establish what exactly happened at the scene, why the officer fired his weapon and whether the force used against the rider was lawful and proportionate.
“The officer has been arrested, and investigations are underway to establish the circumstances under which he discharged his firearm, resulting in the death of the rider,” police said.
However, accounts from residents near the scene have added another dimension to the incident. Some witnesses reportedly said Jjuuko was riding home when he encountered the police roadblock. They alleged that he attempted to flee after being stopped and further claimed that the officer appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.
These claims have not been independently established and are expected to form part of the wider investigation.
The police force has meanwhile expressed condolences to Jjuuko’s family, while stressing that officers have a legal responsibility to maintain public order and protect life and property.
At the same time, the force emphasised that such responsibilities do not give officers unlimited powers to use firearms.
“While police officers are legally mandated to maintain public order and protect life and property, any use of force must be lawful, necessary, proportionate, and strictly guided by the law, established police operational procedures, and the prevailing circumstances,” police said.
The fatal shooting has cast a shadow over the National Cleaning Day campaign, which is intended to mobilise citizens to take collective responsibility for sanitation and the cleanliness of their communities.
Instead of ending with images of residents cleaning roadsides and public spaces, the exercise at Ndejje Kanaaba was disrupted by the death of a civilian at the hands of a police officer.
Investigators are now expected to reconstruct the events leading to the shooting, including the interaction between Jjuuko and the officers manning the restricted area.
The arrest of Constable Okello means that the officer’s actions will be subjected to investigation as authorities seek to determine whether the shooting was justified under the circumstances.
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