Police stormed Namasho grounds in Bududa district and dispersed hundreds of people attending a bullfight. The officers stormed Namasho grounds Wednesday morning and impounded three bulls and motorcycles left behind by some of the people who had turned up for the popular sport.
Ryan Akampulira, the Bududa District Police Commander, said that they are keeping the impounded animals and motorcycles at Bududa Central Police as exhibits. He asked the residents to wait until the president lifts the suspension on public gatherings before they can resume bullfighting.
Constant Matukhu, the Chairperson of Namasho Bullfighting ground, says that he has been warning residents to wait until the situation returns to normalcy. He asked the residents to find another game, which doesn’t involve crowds and forget about bullfights in the meantime.
Peter Musapiti, the Chairman Shiluku South also asked the population to bid by the Standard Operating Procedures-SOPs as the only way to go through the COVID-19 pandemic. He warned that failure to respect the SOPs may lead to a surge in COVID-19 infections, which he had reduced during the lockdown.
Clement Nebute, a farmer says the bulls don’t gain weight when they don’t fight and asked the authorities to allow bullfights with restricted numbers. George William Wopuwa, the Bududa Resident District Commissioner, says that they will not allow people to flout COVID-19 guidelines of social distancing and wearing masks because the virus is still alive in the country.
He warned those involved to stop or face the law. Milton Kamoti Wasunguyi, the Bududa district LC V Chairperson asked the residents to respect and love their lives and not to think that leaders shall run after them. Bullfights in Namasho started in the early 1950’s as residents took their animals to drink salty waters. It has since become a serious pastime activity in the area, attracting even nonresidents.
