Police in Kampala are investigating the death of a 34-year-old boda boda rider following an alleged altercation believed to have been triggered by a football rivalry between supporters of Arsenal and Manchester United.
According to the Uganda Police Force, the incident occurred on Sunday evening, May 24, in the Bakuli area within Kampala Central Division and is now being treated as a murder case.
The deceased has been identified as Denis, a boda boda rider and resident of Bakuli.
Boda boda rider dies after alleged clash between Arsenal and Manchester United fans. Photo: Courtesy.
Police said the confrontation happened at around 6:30pm local time after a dispute escalated between Denis and another man identified only as Musiramu.
Investigators believe the disagreement began as a football-related argument involving supporters of the two English Premier League clubs, which later escalated into a physical confrontation.
Authorities further stated that during the altercation, the suspect allegedly struck Denis on the head, causing him to collapse. He is reported to have died instantly following the attack.
Police have described the incident as a tragic escalation of a minor disagreement into fatal violence and confirmed that efforts are underway to trace and arrest the suspect linked to the case.
The body of the deceased was taken to Mulago National Referral Hospital, where a postmortem examination is expected to be conducted to establish the exact cause of death and support ongoing investigations.
Security agencies have urged members of the public to remain calm as inquiries continue, stressing that football rivalries should never lead to violence or loss of life.
Authorities also reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring those responsible are brought to justice.
