Uganda: Music promoter charged after stampede kills 10

Those killed are reported to have been aged between 10 and 20 years, with investigations showing that nine of them suffocated and died on the spot.

Musinguzi, who is facing nine counts of negligence, has denied all charges, claiming the arrest is politically motivated. He has been remanded until 10 January when he will appear in court for bail application.

The authorities say a stampede occurred after hundreds of people who were attending the concert at Freedom City Mall were forced to use one exit point.

Uganda Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said the promoters had ordered four other available exits in the venue to be closed. Police are now investigating whether negligence played a role in the tragedy.

“The celebrations were progressing well until the MC told the concertgoers to go out and watch the fireworks display,” Enanga said. “Although the venue has several entry and exit points, only one was open and it was not enough to allow the people who were rushing out to do so safely. Therefore, several victims were trapped and trampled on in the narrow passage which became a bottleneck for many, mostly juveniles.”

The police have called for more people, including the owner of the building, to record statements about the incident.

“We have so far arrested the main promoter and are also actively searching for others involved in the organisation of the event,” Enanga said, adding they are also considering pressing charges against parents of underage children who died.

Musinguzi maintains he is being targeted because he is a supporter of politician and music activist Bobi Wine. The 52-year-old event promoter, commonly known as Abitex, has never shied away from expressing his support for the musician, who has in the past been subjected to violent and intense crackdowns by the Ugandan government.

In 2019, Musinguzi and another events promoter, Andy Mukasa, were arrested for selling T-shirts whose proceeds they said would go towards seeking the release of citizens imprisoned over minor offences.

The New Yea’s Eve incident happened just hours after the Afro Nation concert in Ghana was halted midway when a “dangerous number” of people with no tickets attempted to enter the venue. In October, 11 people died at an overcrowded concert in Kinshasa, DRC, that was headlined by local superstar Fally Ipupa.