Police has responded to a viral video showing an officer caning a man during the National Cleaning Day exercise, saying the incident was regrettable and will be addressed in line with professional standards.
Police spokesperson ACP Kituuma Rusoke said the force appreciates the overwhelming public response to the national sanitation campaign, noting that thousands of citizens participated peacefully alongside security agencies across the country.
Kituuma said more than 50,000 police officers were deployed to support the exercise, alongside other security personnel, and commended the public for embracing the initiative.
He, however, acknowledged that one incident involving a police officer attracted attention on social media.
“We deployed over 50,000 officers, and there was one out of this number that social media fellas capitalised on. That act was regrettable. The matter was brought to the attention of commanders and will be addressed in accordance with our professional standards,” Kituuma said.
The viral video showed a man being caned by police officers after allegedly refusing to participate in the cleaning exercise, sparking debate online over the conduct of law enforcement officers during the campaign.
Kituuma said the actions of one officer should not overshadow the overall success of the exercise, praising security personnel and members of the public for working together to improve sanitation.
“The very many police officers deployed and other security officers from different agencies did a tremendous job, but equally, the people were compliant,” he said.
He noted that disagreements occasionally arise during enforcement operations, citing previous experiences during the enforcement of COVID-19 guidelines.
“Those small quarrels will always be there in an enforcement exercise. This was the same during enforcement of COVID guidelines. You will find a person not willing to abide and an officer who may not have read the guidelines well,” Kituuma said.
He advised members of the public with complaints against police officers to use established accountability channels rather than relying on social media platforms.
“Social media will not solve this. There are established mechanisms where you can appeal and raise complaints,” he said.
Kituuma also addressed reports involving foreign tourists who were initially affected during the exercise, saying the matter was resolved after commanders were notified.
“For the tourists, officers who misinterpreted the situation were corrected. Commanders were informed and the issue was rectified. The tourists finally moved,” he said.
The police spokesperson cautioned against what he described as attempts by some social media users to amplify isolated incidents for online attention.
“Do not follow people looking for content who will try to create a quarrel out of everything to generate views and other populist interests,” he said.
The National Cleaning Day exercise brought together government officials, security agencies, local leaders, businesses and citizens across the country in efforts aimed at improving sanitation and promoting a culture of cleanliness.
