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KAMPALA – The Uganda Police Force have distanced themselves from allegations that the force’s truck was used to quell protests in Kenya.
“We would like to refute the false and malicious propaganda, surrounding the video footage of its driver, who was captured amidst protesters in Nakuru, while transporting, a Uganda police Fire truck, under registration number UP 9596, from Kenya to Uganda, on June 21, 2024,” said Fred Enanga, the Uganda Police spokesperson said Monday.
Enanga said the allegations are the work of propagandists and their co-conspirators.
He said the facts gathered indicate that the fire truck that belongs to Masaka CPS Fire and Rescue Department, developed a mechanical problem in April 2024, and it was transported to Nairobi-Kenya, by Isuzu Uganda, for further mechanical repair.
“On June 21, 2024, as the fire truck was being driven back to Uganda, its driver came across several protesters in Nakuru, who recorded it during transit. The fire truck driver eventually proceeded and entered Uganda on June 21, 2024,, and was captured on CCTV at Busitema, at 11:49:25 am, en route to Masaka via Kampala,” he said.
He made the revelation during the weekly security briefing at the Uganda Police headquarters at Naguru on Monday.
“The accusations that the Uganda Police deployed a fire fighting truck, in the recent spate of protests in Kenya are false and misleading,” he said.
“Our counterparts, the Kenyan Police, know that we have nothing to do with the protests. We continue to respect the sovereignty of the Republic of Kenya and its decisions. Mutual respect and understanding continue to be the basis of our cooperation with the Kenyan Police.”
Widespread demonstrations broke out last week in 19 of Kenya’s 47 counties over contested tax proposals.
Protesters want the government to abandon its Finance Bill, saying it will choke the economy and raise the cost of living for Kenyans who are already struggling to make ends meet.
The International Monetary Fund, however, says that the government needs to increase revenues to reduce the budget deficit and state borrowing.
Earlier last week reports indicated that the government had softened its position a little, with President William Ruto endorsing recommendations to scrap some of the new levies, including on car ownership, bread, cooking oil and financial transactions.
Two people have since died and more than 200 injured since the protests broke up.
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