A sweeping security operation around Kampala’s busy Clock Tower junction has led to the arrest of 18 suspected criminals following a surge in public outrage over violent phone snatching incidents captured on social media.
The joint operation, conducted by police in Katwe alongside the UPDF, targeted a wave of attacks on unsuspecting motorists and pedestrians who had increasingly fallen victim to brazen thieves operating in traffic.
Authorities say the suspects were part of an organized group that had established a base along the Nakivubo Channel in Katwe’s Katenda Zone—an area now believed to have served as a hideout and coordination point for the crimes.
The Kampala Metropolitan spokesman, Rachael Kawala noted that in a decisive move to dismantle the network, the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) demolished the illegal structures that had been shielding the suspects.
During the raid, security teams recovered several exhibits, including knives, a hammer, and substances suspected to be narcotics, further pointing to the group’s involvement in violent and illicit activities.
The Clock Tower arrests were part of a broader crackdown across Makindye Division.
On April 6, similar coordinated operations in West Zone, Base Zone, and Kibuye I Parish resulted in the apprehension of more than 100 additional suspects linked to various criminal offenses.
All those arrested remain in police custody as investigations continue and preparations for court proceedings are underway.
Authorities have vowed to sustain the operations in a bid to restore safety and public confidence in Kampala’s high-risk areas.
