The Uganda Police force has Tuesday apologized to the Masaka Dioceses Bishop Emeritus John Baptist Kaggwa over an incident that happened on Saturday, when officers fired teargas during a sacrifice of Mass he was leading.
Led by the Chief Political Commissar Asan Kasingye, a delegation of senior police officers visited to apologize to the retired Masaka Dioceses Bishop Emeritus John Baptist Kaggwa following the weekend’s unfortunate incident in Mityana.
Kasingye who was accompanied by the Director human resource development Godfrey Golooba and Director Crime intelligence Chris Ddamulira, apologized to the Bishop Emeritus on behalf of the Inspector-General of Police, Martin Ochola.
The apology follows an incident that took place on Saturday, when the DPC Mityana, ASP Mwine Kukago led his men who ordered the Bishop to cut short the Mass citing failure to follow COVID-19 SOPs.
Police fired teargas to disperse members of Buganda Kingdom’s Mbogo Clan who had convened at their ancestral site at Mugulu - Ziggoti Town Council to attend thanksgiving prayers for their leader, Elder Gajuule Kayiira Kasibante.
The Mass which was being led by retired Masaka Diocesan Bishop John Baptist Kaggwa, was disrupted by police and military officers who fired teargas to block more people from accessing the venue, causing some elderly persons to faint after inhaling teargas.
“Today, I led a delegation of senior officers on behalf of the Inspector General of Police, to purposely meet the Rtd Emeritus John Baptist Kaggwa at his home in Masaka and delivered apologies to him, his family and the catholic church fraternity, over the disruptions caused during the thanksgiving ceremony of the Mbogo clan at the clan headquarters in Mugulu village, in Singo,” Kasingye noted.
He added that by the time they apologized, the Bishop said he had already forgiven the police, but that the visit and apology were a kind gesture.
The political commissar says the IGP carried out a thorough review and evaluation of the incident and acknowledged the operational lapse which led to the use of teargas that spread and impacted on the congregation and the public.
IGP Ochola further apologized in addition to the earlier ones made regarding the incident he described as regrettable. He applauded the Bishop for his resilient and steadfast leadership during this disruptive incident by the territorial police.
Asan Kasingye will lead a delegation to meet the Buganda Katikiro Charles Peter Mayiga, to apologize over the same matter.
