Breaking!! KACITA Boss Arrested For Assaulting Police Officers As Kampala Traders Protests Turns Chaotic

Kampala — The simmering tension between traders and authorities in Uganda’s bustling capital took a dramatic turn on Wednesday after police arrested Mr. Issa Sekito, the acting chairman of the Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA).

His arrest, according to the police, followed alleged incidents of incitement and assault on officers during waves of unrest that swept through parts of the central business district earlier this week.

In a statement released to the media, ASP Luke Owoyesigyire, the Deputy Public Relations Officer for Kampala Metropolitan Police, confirmed that Sekito had been detained at the Central Police Station (CPS) in Kampala.

“The team is yet to record his statement and prefer appropriate charges against him,” Owoyesigyire said, noting that investigators were still piecing together details surrounding his alleged involvement in the disturbances.

Police also revealed that thirteen other individuals were arrested in connection with the same incidents. They face accusations of inciting violence and assaulting law enforcement officers who were executing their duties in downtown Kampala. The case file, according to authorities, has already been forwarded to the Resident State Attorney for a legal review and guidance on possible prosecution.

The arrests come amid growing unease among sections of Kampala’s trading community. Over the past several weeks, traders have been embroiled in disagreements with both city authorities and market regulators regarding operational restrictions, market closures, and what many describe as unfair enforcement of business regulations.

These disputes have occasionally spilled over into the streets, disrupting trade in some of the busiest parts of the city.

While some traders have accused the police and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) of heavy-handed tactics, the police insist that their actions are aimed at maintaining peace and preventing chaos.

“We continue to urge members of the public to remain calm and desist from acts that may incite violence or threaten the safety of others, particularly those who have chosen to open their shops and continue with normal business,” Owoyesigyire said, in a message clearly directed at the trading community.

Throughout Wednesday, police maintained a heightened presence across the city centre to ward off further unrest. Patrol vehicles and uniformed officers were seen stationed along major trading arteries including Nakivubo Road, Kikuubo Lane, and Burton Street, where shopkeepers cautiously went about their day under a watchful security presence.

The developments mark yet another chapter in the uneasy relationship between the business fraternity and law enforcement in Uganda’s commercial hub. KACITA, one of the country’s most influential and vocal business associations, has in recent months faced internal divisions and external pressure over contentious issues such as taxation policies, rising rent costs, and government enforcement of trade laws.

The arrest of its acting chairman, Mr. Sekito, is likely to deepen the rift between traders and authorities, potentially igniting new debates about the balance between law enforcement and the rights of business owners.

As investigations continue, many in Kampala’s trading circles are anxiously watching to see whether this latest confrontation signals a temporary disruption—or the beginning of a broader standoff between the city’s economic drivers and those tasked with maintaining order.