A video circulating on social media appears to show a police patrol driving towards the demonstrators, narrowly missing a woman before striking or knocking down Kabegere, who is seen rolling on the ground.
MUKONO — A grieving father was knocked down by a police patrol vehicle during a protest against the resumption of operations at a stone quarry in Nakisunga Sub-county, Mukono District, days after his 12-year-old daughter reportedly died in an uncovered excavation at the site.
John Kabegere, a resident of Nangwa in Nakisunga, was among residents who staged a demonstration on Monday against the reopening of the GLA Stone Quarry in Kiwugo Village, where his daughter, Jesca Nalujja, a Primary Five pupil, reportedly fell into a deep pit and died.
Nalujja reportedly died on Saturday after falling into an uncovered excavation while looking after goats in the area.
Her death reignited long-standing grievances among residents, who accuse the quarry operators of failing to secure dangerous excavations and address complaints about damage to houses and other safety and environmental risks associated with the operations.
The protest took a dramatic turn when police intervened to disperse the demonstrators.
According to accounts from the scene, three police patrol vehicles responded to the protest. Officers reportedly held discussions with some local leaders, but the talks failed to resolve the standoff.
Police subsequently ordered the residents to disperse.
A video circulating on social media appears to show a police patrol driving towards the demonstrators, narrowly missing a woman before striking or knocking down Kabegere, who is seen rolling on the ground.
The footage has triggered calls for an investigation into the police response and accountability for any officers found to have acted unlawfully.
In a statement posted on its official X account, police acknowledged the circulating footage and said investigations had commenced.
“We have taken note of a video circulating on social media showing a police vehicle allegedly knocking down an unidentified person in Mukono. Investigations into the incident have commenced, and further details will be provided in due course,” the statement reads.
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Police did not identify Kabegere or explain the circumstances under which the vehicle moved towards the demonstrators.
The findings of the investigation, including the circumstances in which Kabegere was knocked down and whether the officers acted in accordance with the law and operational procedures, remain to be established.
The incident has compounded the grief of a father who is already mourning the loss of his child and renewed concerns about the safety of residents raising complaints about potentially hazardous industrial activities.
Quarry operations spark anger
The confrontation came against the backdrop of years of complaints by residents over the quarry’s operations.
The quarry is owned by Kampala-Based investor Guster Lule Ntake and operated by his son, Guster Lutaaya.
Residents say they have raised concerns for more than five years about alleged damage to their houses, uncovered pits and other hazards associated with the quarry.
They also want compensation for the alleged damage to their properties and other losses, saying the money would help them acquire alternative land and relocate to safer areas.
Following Nalujja’s death, the quarry management reportedly agreed to meet residents of Kiwugo to discuss compensation.
Lutaaya also reportedly agreed to begin the compensation process after years of complaints from affected residents.
However, residents say the agreement had not translated into a concrete resolution when they learnt that quarry activities had resumed, prompting Monday’s demonstration.
The resumption of operations before the outstanding concerns had been resolved to their satisfaction became the immediate trigger for the protest.
The child’s death has intensified calls for authorities to establish whether the excavation was adequately secured, who was responsible for safeguarding the site and whether the quarry complied with applicable safety and environmental requirements.
Authorities also need to establish whether the quarry had the necessary approvals, whether it had been inspected and whether any corrective measures had been ordered or implemented.
Environment officials deny bribery allegations
Residents have also accused officials in Mukono District’s Environment and Natural Resources Department of failing to act on their complaints.
They claim to have submitted several formal complaints without receiving meaningful intervention. Some residents suspect that officials may have been compromised by the quarry management, although the allegations have not been independently established.
Mukono District Environment Officer John Damba has denied allegations that his office received bribes from the quarry owner to suppress complaints, saying the accusations had tarnished the department’s reputation.
Damba also maintained that he had never received formal complaints from the affected residents.
The conflicting accounts raise questions about whether complaints were submitted, which offices received them and what action was taken.
District authorities could establish the facts by reviewing complaint records, inspection reports, correspondence with the quarry management, environmental compliance documents and any directives issued to the operator.
If formal complaints were received, the district should explain what action followed and why the alleged hazards remained unresolved. If no complaints were received, the authorities should clarify how residents can formally report safety and environmental concerns and obtain timely responses.
An assessment of the quarry’s compliance with applicable environmental requirements would also help establish whether the relevant authorities fulfilled their oversight responsibilities.
Residents demand accountability
For the affected community, compensation is only part of the dispute. Residents also want assurances that the hazards they have complained about for years will be addressed to prevent another family from suffering a similar loss.
Although the reported agreement between the quarry management and residents could provide a starting point for resolving the dispute, it does not remove the need to investigate Nalujja’s death and the incident involving the police vehicle.
The two incidents require separate investigations: one into the circumstances surrounding the child’s death and the safety of the quarry site, and another into the conduct of the officers involved in Monday’s confrontation.
Any compensation arrangement should also be transparent, with affected residents informed about how losses will be assessed and when claims are expected to be resolved.
Negotiations over compensation should not replace enforcement of safety requirements or an investigation into the child’s death. Similarly, the police inquiry should establish what happened during the protest and what action should follow from its findings.
The events in Kiwugo have left the community seeking answers to several questions: Was the excavation that claimed Nalujja’s life adequately secured? Did the quarry comply with the applicable safety and environmental requirements? Were residents’ complaints properly handled? And was the police response during Monday’s protest lawful and proportionate?
Credible investigations into the child’s death, the quarry’s operations and the police incident would help establish responsibility and guide any necessary legal or administrative action.
For Nalujja’s family and the wider community, the immediate demands remain safety, accountability and justice.
