Uganda’s police are investigating the stampede at a mall which left at least 9 people dead mostly juveniles on New Year day.
The Freedom City shopping mall accident plunged into mourning the country which hosted its first New Year’s celebrations in three years.
“In the outskirts of Kampala, in a shopping mall there was a concert that was organised and we received information towards midnight, around midnight, that there was a stampede,” Patrick Onyango, Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson recounted.
“Three children died on (the) spot and six others were pronounced dead on arrival in a hospital.” He added that the youngest victim was a girl “aged 10 years and the oldest among the dead was a 29-year-old woman.”
It is alleged that the incident occurred at when the event’s MC encouraged attendees to go outside and watch the fireworks display. Once the display ended, a stampede ensued. Emergency responders arrived on the scene and transported the injured.
“The injured are recovering. There were also about 10, but they are recovering. They are not so badly off. But mostly these were children.”
The shopping mall is a popular venue for music concerts.
According to the Ugadan police force spokesperson, apart from Freedom City’s tragic incident, the End of Year and New Year celebrations which included 1618 fireworks displays, were generally successful.
On Sunday, no arrests had been made yet.Police detectives are still trying to establish the number of people who were inside the mall.