After a bomb scare earlier on Wednesday morning, the Entebbe Expressway has been deemed safe by Ugandan authorities.
“Update! Entebbe Expressway now open for public use,” the police tweeted after the bomb squad was sent to investigate an object suspected to be an explosive.
When police blocked it and redirected traffic, Ugandans awoke to a terror scare on the quickest route to Entebbe International Airport.
Police advised using the old Entebbe road and stated the bomb squad was conducting investigations. The procedure, which took a few hours, ended with the public having access to the road again.
“This is to inform all road users who are using Entebbe Express Highway that there’s an investigation going on by the Police Bomb Squad along the Expressway. You are, therefore, requested to use the Old Entebbe Road to the city and to Entebbe for the time being,” the statement from Kauma Nsereko, the Commander of Kampala Metropolitan Police Traffic, said.
According to the police, there was an abandoned bag near Kajjansi, some 10 kilometres from the heart of Kampala.
“We appreciate the public for their vigilance in reporting suspicious abandoned items, and we commend our bomb squad crisis intervention teams and Pinnacle security for their quick response,” said a statement from the police.
“We would also like to thank the public for their patience and cooperation during the brief traffic disruption caused by the evacuation of the abandoned object. Our officers worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of everyone involved, and we appreciate the understanding and support of the public,” the statement adds, before announcing that the road was safe for use.
The 51-kilometre, four-lane road’s opening a few years ago made it easier to travel from Kampala to Entebbe and reduced congestion on the previous Entebbe road. Nevertheless, it also drew thieves who blocked traffic and held up victims, forcing the authorities to think about stationing security agents there.
Katumba Wamala, the minister of works, asked Allen Kagina, the executive director of the Uganda National Roads Authority, to take the deployment of three security cars to reduce insecurity on the roads into consideration in October 2022. Allan Ssempebwa, manager of UNRA’s public relations, claims that this was done to make the route secure. Ugandans attribute the widespread crime and traffic mishaps to a lack of lighting.
The most recent terrorist attack on Uganda was the twin explosions that occurred close to the central police station and the Parliament, resulting in seven fatalities and numerous injuries. Uganda has continued to be on the list of nations targeted by terrorism.
The attacks came after an attack in the Kampala suburb of Komamboga that left one person dead and numerous others injured and were primarily attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces holed up in the Democratic Republic of Congo.