Free Bobi Wine Protests: 9 gunshot victims die during surgery at Mulago hospital

injury-protests-kampala
Uganda Red Cross Society [URCS] delivers causalities at Mulago hospital after intense protests for the release of Bobi Wine. Courtesy Photo/URCS

Kampala, Uganda | URN| Nine of the people shot during protests following the arrest of the National Unity Platform [NUP] party presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine on Wednesday 18th, November 2020 died while undergoing surgery at Mulago National Referral Hospital.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday 19th afternoon, Dr. Baterana Byarugaba, the Executive Director Mulago National Referral Hospital said they received 77 causalities.

He however said nine of the causalities died while undergoing surgery.

He explained that 48 out of the 68 patients got traumatic injuries, adding that 20 people who were tear-gassed are being worked on and will be discharged.

Earlier in the day, the city mortuary at Mulago said it had received 16 bodies resulting from Wednesday’s protests.

According to Dr Moses Byaruhanga, the Police Chief Pathologist, 15 were men while one was female.

Our reporter who was at Mulago City Mortuary saw three more bodies being taken to the Mortuary.

According to Dr Byaruhanga, the sixteen died as a result of gunshots, suffocation from tear gas while others were killed in hit and run accidents.

Injured speak out

Khalid Nyanzi, a trader is one of the people nursing injuries at Mulago National Referral Hospital.

He told this publication on his sickbed in the causality ward that he was on the third floor of Nana Shopping Center on Nakivubo Road with his peers when armed police officers showed up and pushed them out of the building.

According to Nyanzi, a police officer shot him in the armpits as he was moving out.

Simon Semujjuzi, a boda boda rider who rushed Esther Nakyeyune to Mulago Hospital told this publication that Nakyeyune asked him to take her to her residence in Naguru.

He however says that on their way, Nakyeyune got shot in the knee and the waist around Dewinton Road.

On Thursday 19th, the Kampala Minister Betty Amongi visited Mulago National Referral Hospital to assess the situation of the causalities and fatalities.

She said that as managers of the Kampala Metropolitan Area, they were facing a huge task to end the protests in the city.

Amongi however said they are working with all the sectors to bring order in the city.

Read Also: Uganda police release CCTV images of robbers and suspected protest leaders in Kampala

Dr. Joyce Moriku Kaducu, the Primary Health Care State Minister appreciated the work of health workers in different hospitals like Rubaga, Nambya and Mengo among others for saving the lives of the injured.

She later appealed to the relatives of the victims to mind about the Standard Operating Procedures [SOPs] as they rush to the hospitals to check on their people.