Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) is facing mounting scrutiny following allegations that its enforcement officers assaulted a Chinese investor during an operation at a solar energy company in Bugolobi, with CCTV footage reportedly capturing parts of the incident.
The raid, which took place last Thursday at Green Power International Limited, located at Plot 24, Princess Anne Drive, Bugolobi, allegedly left investor Ran Kevin with facial injuries, while more than 15 employees reportedly suffered beatings, with some sustaining broken limbs, back injuries and lost teeth.
The company also reported the disappearance of Shs30 million in cash and more than 100 electric pillars during the incident.
Green Power International Limited is a licensed solar energy company that provides solar solutions to households and institutions across Uganda.
According to sources familiar with the CCTV recordings, the footage shows Ran being assaulted and restrained by individuals identified as KCCA enforcement officers inside the company’s premises.
Photographs circulating after the incident reportedly show the investor with a bloodied face, swollen eyes and torn clothing, raising further questions about the circumstances surrounding the operation.
“He was bleeding from the face. They beat him like a thug. The entire beating was recorded on CCTV,” a source who said they had viewed the footage told this publication.
The investor’s 71-year-old father was also allegedly assaulted during the raid.
Questions Over KCCA’s Bugolobi Operation
The operation was reportedly led by KCCA legal officer Jackyln Hellen Atugonza, alongside a senior enforcement official identified only as Joel and other authority officials.
Witnesses allege that the team entered the company’s premises without presenting a valid enforcement order or a noise measurement report before the situation escalated into violence.
The precise circumstances that prompted the operation remain unclear.
During the raid, company staff allege that Shs30 million went missing from the offices as drawers and other workspaces were searched. They suspect members of the enforcement team may have taken the money, although the allegation has yet to be independently established.
More than 100 electric pillars were also reportedly stolen during the incident.
A criminal case has reportedly been opened at Bugolobi Police Station as investigations into the allegations continue.
Renewed Concerns Over Enforcement Conduct
The incident has revived concerns about allegations of excessive force and misconduct involving KCCA enforcement operations.
Traders and business owners have previously raised complaints about the conduct of enforcement personnel, including alleged violence and demands for money during city regulation exercises.
Some business operators in Bugolobi claim that noise pollution enforcement is occasionally used as a pretext to demand payments from businesses seeking to avoid arrest or closure. These allegations require independent investigation.
The latest incident also raises questions about the treatment of foreign investors and the protection of businesses operating in Uganda’s clean energy sector.
At a time when the government is encouraging investment and promoting renewable energy, allegations that a licensed solar energy company was subjected to a violent enforcement operation could raise concerns within the business community if substantiated.
Calls for Accountability
By press time, KCCA’s Executive Director and public affairs office had reportedly not responded to repeated requests for comment on the incident.
The prosecutor identified as Jackie was also unavailable for comment.
Meanwhile, human rights advocates and members of the business community are calling for the immediate suspension of the officials implicated in the allegations, the public release of the CCTV footage and a comprehensive review of KCCA’s enforcement procedures.
They are also demanding an investigation into the reported assault, the alleged disappearance of cash and the missing electric pillars.
The outcome of the investigations, alongside a response from KCCA and the officials named in the allegations, will be critical in establishing what happened during the Bugolobi operation and determining whether any wrongdoing occurred.
