By Frank Nyakairu
July 1, 2003
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It will be tough idling on Kampala streets, at least until US President George W. Bush comes – and goes. That was the case yesterday when several sex workers, idlers, street beggars and children were arrested. Police spent most of the day rounding up every idler and street child they came across. Bush visits Africa from July 7-12, and Entebbe is one of his stopovers. “It is an operation to crack down on pick-pockets, criminals and children who have crowded the streets these days,” said the Kampala Extra Regional Police Commander Oyo Nyeko. The new victims of such swoops are the numerous mothers always lying or seated on streets using their children to beg from passers-by. “You must have noticed very many mothers are nowadays begging on the streets. We have rounded them up too,” Nyeko said. The District Police Commander of the Central Police Station, Mr Francis Okello, told The Monitor that 15 street children and 20 adults had been arrested. “But the operation is more successful in the evenings. We shall round up all the sex workers and gangsters,” he said. Asked if the operation is in connection with the forthcoming visit of the American President, RPC Nyeko was quick to deny. “Not really. We are supposed to be secure. It is not only when other big people are visiting our country,” he said. A similar operation was, however, carried out ahead of former US President Bill Clinton’s visit in 1998. |
© 2003 The Monitor Publications
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