ATTACK GOVERNMENT INSTALLATIONS AT YOUR OWN RISK-RCC WARNS PUBLIC

Kumakech Salim, RCC-Arua speaking to the media recently after the incident
 
By Godwin Abedican
Arua
 
The Arua Resident City Commissioner, Salim Kumakech, has warned the public against being influenced to take risks whose effects they cannot stand for or manage when apprehended.
 
His tough warning comes after the recent incident in the city following a tipoff from the public, URA supported by police and the army on April 23, 2025 swung into action impounding smuggled contraband cigarettes worth over 120 million Ugandan shillings from a business man in Abiri cell, Yapi ward, Ayivu East Division in Arua city.
 
While on their way to the URA offices with the goods, the smugglers are said to have mobilized the public to support them in pursuit of the URA and sister forces against their actions which later resulted into chaos and gunshots in the heart of the city.
 
In the process, damages and attacks were caused to public infrastructure and properties of the members of the public to which the RCC warns that the costs of such actions can be very grave for an individual.

“If you mobilize people to demonstrate or riot on your behalf by targeting government institutions or facilities, it is unfortunate.  Three vehicles were pelted, two hospital ambulances were damaged. When you hit an unsuspecting government officer in a vehicle, you never know you are hitting your relative, for example, the driver of the deputy RDC of Yumbe who was injured in this vehicle, chances are high that he is our relative. So, you are being mobilized against your own people.  You are annoyed and you want to attack a military installation, you are tacking government institutions fort example a strategic national installation “Bank of Uganda”. I want to warn the public that, these are installations that are not guarded by books, these are installations that are not guarded by sticks. They are guarded by instruments that can perpetually put you out of action. Whatever amount of annoyance you have don’t go there. Don’t risk. We must avoid these kinds of actions,” Kumakech warned strongly.
 
According to the RCC, the government is committed to ensure that there is public safety and continues to do business to develop themselves and the country and he discourages the public from engaging in smuggling given the negative economic impact it has on the country.
 
“Instead of demonstrating against the actions of URA, you should be asking yourself where is my benefit from this demonstration, what is my take from this demonstration and if I didn’t demonstrate, what is the potential outcome  from me supporting government and URA in realizing the revenue base that government projects through parliament,” he explained.
 
“Smuggling is an effort to fight your own country smuggling is an effort to fight development of your country. When you smuggle an item from a foreign country into Uganda, it means that, that foreign country is benefiting because for them they would have sold and a tax is levied on that sold item. For your case you will smuggle and not pay tax and that means you are putting an effort to under develop your country and your community,” the RCC added.
 
Kumakech, further calls upon the public to embrace dialogue to solve standing differences rather than resorting to riots.
 
“I have always told you that if you are annoyed with any action that requires a member of the public to show anger, call me and as your RCC, I will listen to you.   On many occasions you have demonstrated to my office, I have always come out, called you to my office and I have addressed your concerns. This one of mobilizing to cause riots, you are alone in it, it is barbaric and I condemn it,” he said.
 
In this ending financial year 2024/2025 URA targeted colleting a sum of 31.37 trillion shillings, but revenue leakage through smuggling stand as one of the major pitfalls in hitting the target.