By Mike Rwothomio
James Mave Ocan, A disgruntled resident of Corner Angwen trading centre, Chethyang village, Athuma sub county Zombo district is demanding Ugx 3.5 million Ugandan shillings from Uganda Revenue Authority in compensation after reported violent clashes between URA enforcement officers and rowdy boda boda riders at Corner Angwen trading centre at 11:30 am on the 20th of this month has left his rooftops defaced.
The three bullets reportedly fired by the URA officers blew holes through his roofs whilst some constructors were working at the site according to the RDC of Zombo Rtd Lt Col Pius Alitema.
Mave who is demanding an immediate response from the URA told the Whisper Eye News that he was away from home when the incident happened and on reaching home, he got his house which was under construction damaged by the three bullets.
He showed evidence of the three bullets to the district security committee headed by the RDC.
” I’m not interested in their big money, I just need them to pay me 3.5 million so that I can repair my house. I will the money for buying iron sheets, nails, timbers and labour”The remorses Mave said.
The district councillor of Athuma sub-county Francis Bolingo has strongly condemned the violent act before committing to keenly follow up on the case to a logical conclusion.
“If they Revenue, why can’t they come in a very good way, I am not happy about this incident and am going to follow up on this issue until this young man gets justice” Bolingo stressed
The Zombo district male youth Councillor Derick Rwothungeyu Ocweda has called upon the URA to handle youth peacefully whilst carrying out their normal operation.
Ocweda added that if handled in a polite way, the youth can cooperate and behave.
This come shortly after the RDC of Zombo Rtd Lt Col Pius Alitema, had warned the Tax Collectors against engaging in operations in the district without the involvement of the district security committee.
Commenting about the Athuma sub-county reported shooting incident, the RDC of Zombo Rtd Lt Col Pius Alitema has condemned the act before appealing for better coordination between ura enforcement officers, leaders and the locals.
” One of the URA officers went up and shot about three bullets which went and hit some rooftops of a businessman who was not even there but there were workers that were not injured fortunately enough. I’m imploring the URA officials that much as they are doing their work, they should also involve the district officials” Alitema explained.
Zombo district has a string of boda boda riders with unregistered Motorcycles. Due to the porous nature of the border, it’s extremely hard to regulate imports of unregistered Motorcycles from Eastern DRC.
The URA regional customs manager Silvester Kiwanuka in response said they have dispatched their team to investigate the matter.
Yesterday I was in Zombo district headquarters, we had a fruitful meeting with the RDC and the LCV chairperson on how to harmonize our operation. I had an allegation about that incident but I directed our team to investigate it.” Kiwanuka said.
Recently, two URA enforcement officers Were injured in a scuffle with rowdy boda boda riders in Zombo town council when they attempted to impound unregistered motorcycles from some boda boda riders.
There has been battery of cases involving clashes between the URA enforcement team and the community in West Nile sub-region, some have led to body injuries and loss of lives.
