Events organiser Abbey Musinguzi alias Abtex promotions prioritized making abnormal profits instead of caring for people’s lives, SCP Fred Enanga the police spokesperson has said.
Abtex who Enanga said is behind bars, maximised the number of revelers, even after realising that the numbers had exceeded the freedom city handling capacity.
Facts gathered by police indicates that the party attracted over 500 revelers.
Enanga said Police gave this concert a green light, “after inspection of the venue by its officers, later they observed that the organizers of this concert prioritized profits over the safety of the concert goers an act that is dangerous,”.
Nine people including juveniles lost their lives during a stampede on the New Year’s Eve.
The celebrations, he said were progressing well until the event MC recklessly made an announcement for the concert goers to move out and watch the fireworks display in the parking.
“The packed crowd became dangerous after the rush of fireworks from the hall through a narrow corridor to the only exit entry points, as a result several victims were trapped through the narrow passage which became a bottle neck to some of the juveniles” Enanga highlighted.
Enanga said their special teams from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (CID), Forensics and Crime intelligence are continuing to carry out investigations and they are to also take action on the issue of juveniles attending concerts.
“Our areas of interest in the investigations are access and exit controls, safety measures against disorders and stampedes, evacuation plans amongst others” he added.
The police mouthpiece added that they are also actively searching for other organizers and managers of this concert that caused sorrow to many families after the New Year fireworks displays.
The Party after Party New Year concert that happened at Freedom City in Namasuba on December 31st 2022 attracted over 500 concert goers and according to the facts gathered by Police,l.
Enanga made these announcements at the weekly security briefing held at the Police headquarters in Kampala on Monday.
This terrible tragedy took among others Nakatumba Margret (29), Namyalo Mary (14), Daniel Kibuuka (14), Nakakande Hadijah, Nakanwagi Viola, Mwanje Shafik, Kizito Ibrahim and a 16 year old juvenile that has not been identified as yet.
Abitex a well known event promoter is being investigated for negligent acts that could have caused the death of the 10 people who died in the stampede.
Upon visiting the scene, the Vice President Jessica Alupo extended her condolences to the families that lost their loved ones and on behalf of the President, she announced that government is to compensate the families that lost their loved ones with 5million Uganda shillings.
Police however highlighted that the New Year celebrations in other parts of the country were generally peaceful and apart from the stampede at Freedom City, only 30 serious incidents were recorded.
The 30 incidents included among others 1 of domestic violence, 12 of murder, 2 of suicide by hanging, and 2 of aggravated robbery.
