One injured as URA clashes with Busia residents

At least one person was injured on Sunday when Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) enforcement officers fired live bullets during a confrontation with residents of Busia town, near the Kenya border.

The injured, Daniel Oundo, 32, a resident of Buchicha village in Sikuda sub-county, was rushed to Busia Health Centre IV after he was reportedly knocked by URA officials, who fired live rounds in the air to disperse an angry crowd.

The residents had allegedly tried to block the officers from impounding smuggled goods at the Busia border. According to witnesses, the URA team was conducting an anti-smuggling operation when they intercepted goods from three suspected smugglers at Busia Main Market.

As the officers loaded the confiscated items onto a URA vehicle, a Toyota Noah registration number UBS 069C, residents turned rowdy and began pelting stones at the enforcement team.

Thomas Galiwango, the URA enforcement officer in charge of the Busia border, confirmed the incident, saying the confrontation began when community members attempted to block the loading of impounded goods.

“They forced us to shoot bullets. We had to call for backup from Busia Central Police Station, which helped restore calm,” Galiwango said.

Residents, however, offered a different account. James Mangeni, who witnessed the fracas, claimed the clash started when locals tried to explain that the goods had merely been transported from the taxi park to the market, but the enforcement team ignored their explanations.

Abdul Nassar Kisuyi, the Busia deputy resident district commissioner, condemned the operation, accusing the URA officers of acting outside cross-border enforcement guidelines.

“It is wrong for URA enforcement to conduct an operation within an area of less than 10 kilometres. Police have already launched investigations into the matter,” Kisuyi said.

He stressed the need to distinguish clearly between cross-border trade and smuggling, warning that enforcement operations must not provoke the public, especially during the current political season.

Kisuyi added that a security meeting involving all security agencies at the Busia One Stop Border Post will be convened this week to address the matter and prevent similar incidents