KAMPALA — Police in Kampala, working jointly with the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), have arrested more than 100 suspects in a series of operations targeting phone snatching and related crimes in the city.
According to Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson SP Racheal Kawala, 18 suspects were apprehended during an operation around the Clock Tower area in Katwe following public outcry and the circulation of social media videos showing attacks on motorists and pedestrians.
“The operations were aimed at curbing phone snatching, robberies, and other criminal activities within the area,” Kawala said in a statement.
Police investigations established that the suspects had set up a camp along the Nakivubo Channel in Katwe, specifically in Katenda Zone, which was being used as a hideout. Authorities, in collaboration with Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), demolished the illegal structures believed to be sheltering the suspects.
During the operation, security agencies recovered several exhibits, including knives, a hammer, and suspected narcotics. In a related development, similar joint operations conducted on April 6, 2026, in West Zone, Base Zone, and Kibuye I Parish in Makindye Division led to the arrest of over 100 additional suspects.
All suspects are currently in police custody and are expected to be arraigned in court. The operations come amid growing concern among Kampala residents over rising cases of street crime, particularly phone snatching targeting motorists in traffic. Authorities say such crackdowns will continue in a bid to restore public safety.