Violent Robberies on the Rise in Kampala: Police Struggle to Maintain Control

Violent robberies have been on the rise in Kampala and neighboring towns, targeting pedestrians, factory workers, mobile money agents, and residents. The recent stabbing to death of a female mobile money agent in Nansana has brought attention to the issue, with police struggling to bring the situation under control. According to Mr. Patrick Onyango, the Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesman, three men trailed the victim on a motorcycle after she visited an ATM at 9:40pm, overpowering and stabbing her to death despite her attempts to run away.

Key Takeaways:

• Over the past few months, violent robberies have increased in Kampala and neighboring towns, targeting pedestrians, factory workers, mobile money agents, and residents.
• On July 10, 2025, four thugs kidnapped two Pakistanis, Abaasi Ali and Rashid Ahmed, from Luweero District, demanding a ransom of Shs20m from their employer.
• The police have foiled several attempted robberies in factories, including one at Kazo-Angola, Kawempe Division, on July 25, where eight suspects were involved.
• The police have advised factory managers not to keep huge sums of cash in their premises, as thieves are targeting offices with safes or electronic devices like laptops.
• The police have launched low-level cordon and search operations in suspected areas, arresting suspected youth and dumping them in jail.
• The transfer of experienced police officers from KMP to rural areas and the sacking of special police constables (SPCs) have been cited as contributing factors to the rise in crime.
• The army has scaled down its deployments and patrols in the city since the start of this year, creating a gap that is yet to be covered.

Statistics:

• 5,000 SPCs were sacked nationally, with some police sources attributing the rise in crime to this removal.
• 18 hours elapsed between the murder of Rose Kyamazima and the attempted robbery at the Lungujja mobile money shop.
• Three suspects were arrested in connection with the murder of the Lungujja mobile money agent.
• Two suspects escaped after attempting to stab police officers who confronted them at the Lungujja mobile money shop.
• The police recovered two motorcycles, several machetes, a bag with Shs8,435,000, two transaction mobile phones, and several national identity cards from the suspects.
• One of the suspects shared critical information with the police about their operations and the areas where they carried out the crimes.
• The suspects carried out raids in Nabweru-Mukono District, Kyaliwajjala, Sonde in Wakiso, and Seeta Town in Mukono.

Sources:

• Mr. Patrick Onyango, Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesman
• Mr. Luke Owoyesigyire, KMP deputy spokesman
• Mr. Rusoke Kituuma, police spokesperson
• Kampala Metropolitan Police report on the attempted robbery at Kazo-Angola factory
• "Police now use disruptive tactics to disorganise would-be criminals" (Ugandan news source)