Kampala, Uganda | URN | Dozens of people required medical emergency attention after fainting during Tuesday’s presidential inauguration at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, even as security forces recorded several incidents of phone theft amid the high-profile event. According to Assistant Commissioner of Police Kituuma Rusoke, the Police spokesperson, joint security teams evacuated at least 37 individuals who collapsed or developed medical complications at the venue.
Sixteen were rushed to Naguru China-Uganda Hospital, while 21 others were transferred to Mulago National Referral Hospital for urgent treatment. “We had 37 individuals who needed immediate medical attention, and we were able to evacuate them to hospitals,” Kituuma said. “Some had high blood pressure or fainted, while others had consumed too much alcohol and became overwhelmed. We had to take them to the hospital,” he added.
Police also confirmed nine arrests related to phone theft at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds despite the tight security deployment. “We had several arrests for suspected phone theft around the ceremonial grounds. Three people were arrested, one remains in custody, and the other two were released. We also arrested four others for common nuisance, and one person for bringing a knife into the stadium,” Kituuma said. Two children who had been separated from their parents during the event were later reunited with their families.
Security agencies said the strong deployment helped prevent more serious incidents, following intelligence warnings of possible disruptions across parts of the city. Major roads, including the Northern Bypass, Mulago, Wandegeya, Kiseka Market, Jinja Road, the Clock Tower flyover, and Nsambya, were heavily secured as President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni was sworn in for a seventh term. The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and Uganda Police Force maintained a visible presence across the capital, supported by Traffic Police managing movement and road closures.
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