Kyengera township in Wakiso district was a scene of heavy gun fire on Friday night as operatives from the Chieftaincy of Military intelligence (CMI) arrested some members of the notorious city group, Boda Boda 2010.
CMI squad fired live ammunition in the air when Kitatta who has armed police escorts incited members of the boda boda Association to turn rowdy and block the arrest of their colleagues suspected to have committed a number of crimes in the city.
SoftPower News has since learnt that the arrests by the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence are connected to several murders in the city including the recent brutal one of an accountant of case hospital, Francis Ekalungar who body was found burnt.
One of the suspects in the murder of Francis is Kiwalabye Huzair who is said to be a brother to Boda Boda 2010 patron, Abdul Kitatta.
Following the arrests, rowdy motor cyclists retaliated by burning car tyres, blocking Masaka High way and destroying a number of cars
A highly placed security source speaking on condition of anonymity told this site that IGP Gen Kale Kaihura had upon learning of the impending purge of Boda Boda 2010, summoned Kitatta to Kigo where the duo agreed to turn the operations by CMI against the group political and turn Kampala rowdy in resistance of the operations.
According to one of the suspects now detained at CMI headquarters in Mbuya, Kitatta subsequently issued orders to members of Boda Boda 2010 to pelt stones on all operatives who attempt to arrest members of the group.
Military sources told SoftPower News that among those arrested are Boda Boda 2010 members who beat up school pupils for wearing red ribbons.
The bus belonging to Winter Land Primary School in Kyebando was carrying pupils who were heading to Nkumba to perform at a police day celebrations last year.
The suspects are reportedly being detained at CMI headquarters in Mbuya.
Headquartered in Bakuli Old Kampala, Boda Boda 2010 under their patron Abdul Kitatta is one of the most powerful and ruthless motorcycle associations in the country wielding a lot powers over motorcycle transport especially in the city.
Kitatta is also the NRM chairman for Rubaga district. Police Chief Gen Kale Kayihura recently told a Parliament Committee that Kitatta helps Police to fight crime and was very instrumental in the fight against ‘Walk to Work.’
Leaders of the association own pistols and have been cited in a number of crimes in the city including robberies.
Last year a member of the association was shot dead in Makindye division in a car robbery.
Last year, Kitatta told journalists that Gen Kale Kayihura was his friend and that he had more than 1000 bodabodas to ‘protect’ the General. Kitatta indeed mobilised members of Boda Boda 2010 to stage protests in the city against calls by some political circles for Gen Kayihura to appear in court.