A destructive afternoon fire swept through the Wandegeya Police Barracks in Kampala on Thursday, October 15, 2026, destroying more than ten housing units and leaving several police officers and their families counting heavy property losses.
The blaze broke out at approximately 3:30 PM, sending thick plumes of black smoke billowing over the Wandegeya trading center and neighboring areas near Makerere University.
Emergency teams from the Uganda Police Fire and Rescue Services were dispatched to the scene, eventually containing the inferno before it could engulf the main station building or adjacent permanent structures.
Zero Fatalities Confirmed as Families Salvage Belongings
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Myers Byonanebye, who commanded the fire rescue operation in Kampala, confirmed that while property destruction was extensive, no lives were lost in the incident.
“There was no life lost,” ASP Byonanebye stated. “We have been able to put it out, but it was too much. In one or two days we shall be able to know the exact cause of the fire. But I can confirm that there was no life lost.”
Despite the successful containment, several police officers were left stranded outside the facility holding a few salvaged items. Didan Nuwaleba, a police constable stationed at Wandegeya, recounted how his household effects were reduced to ashes, though he managed to rescue his two-year-old child to safety.
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While official forensic investigations are ongoing, rescue commanders noted that electrical faults remain among the primary causes under investigation.
Chronic Barracks Accommodation Challenges
The incident at Wandegeya underscores longstanding infrastructure concerns across the Kampala Metropolitan Area. Similar fire outbreaks have previously hit Nsambya and Ntinda police barracks, destroying temporary wooden and iron-sheet housing units.
Although Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abas Byakagaba has prioritized improving welfare and housing conditions across the force, many urban police barracks continue to rely on congested, temporary structures vulnerable to fire hazards.
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