Freedom City Mall Stampede: Museveni Gives Grieving UGX 5M Each To Help In Burial Arrangements
By Uganda Online Media
President Museveni has given UGx 5 million to each family who lost their loved ones in the New year’s eve Freedom city mall stampede to help them with burial arrangements.
Museveni’s condolence message was delivered by Vice President, Jessica Alupo who said the president feels it’s important to support the grieved families.
“I am here to commiserate with members who lost dear ones and extend support of UGX 5 million shillings to each of them so that it can support them in burial arrangements and other emergencies they incurred because of this unfortunate incident. The president feels it is important to support the bereaved family with the shs5 million,” Alupo said during her visit to the scene of the incident on Monday afternoon.
Alupo further noted that each family will receive UGX 5 million for a person lost during the incident while the one that lost two will receive UGX 10 million adding that the government is going to ensure justice is served by expediting investigations into the incident and culprits face the wrath of the law.
“We pledge to do thorough investigations and produce a detail report about what caused the stampede,” she added.
On Monday Police spokesperson Fred Enanga revealed that they had arrested music promoter Abby Musinguzi aka Abtex and were also hunting for other event organisers who were part of the fateful event adding that Abitex is charged with negligence that could have caused the death of 10 people and injuring eight others.
According to Enanga, the stampede came when the MC of the event made an announcement for the revellers to move out to watch a fireworks display and return in one exit.
“Security had locked four other exits and entries and the revellers had to use one point of entry and exit. Therefore, several victims were trapped and tramped upon through the narrow passage which became a bottleneck for many, mostly juveniles,” Enanga said.
While police at Katwe insisted they had inspected the venue and had passed all the tests including multiple entries and exit points with the presence of Counter Terrorism Police officers who were in charge of the fireworks display, Enanga revealed that later, when the event started, police was tasked with manning the outer security which included screening those who were entering whereas the organizer was in charge of the inner security.
The event hosted about 5,000 revellers and police are examining whether Abitex and his team followed the security and health guidelines issued to them when the event was okayed.
