Uganda Police spokesperson Asan Kasingye has said that police officers who feel frustrated with the conditions in the force were free to quit.

Responding to an incident last week where a student was shot at during a protest at Old Kampala SS, Kasingye told reporters in Kampala on Monday that if such use of excessive force in handling a strike by unarmed students was due to officers’ frustration, it was better for such police officers to quit.

“Those frustrated should hand over the guns and uniform and leave the force. We should not have people to serve by force,” Kasingye said.
“We [Police] have capacity to stop such demonstrations using batons and teargas. Live bullets should be the last resort when all other methods have failed and the rioters are armed.”

Meanwhile, the officer who shot and injured the student has been identified as PPC Michael Magambo.

He has been arrested and is being probed by the Professional Standards, according to Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Emilian Kayima.