Indian fireworks company bosses accused of assaulting event promoter

Kampala| A fireworks company bosses have been accused of allegedly assaulting an Events Promoter after their New Year fireworks in a Kampala City suburb of Kamokya went haywire.

Namaste Restaurant, which is located behind City Oil Kamwokya and next to Acacia Mall, contracted the Jwala Fireworks Company.

Not known for the provision of this highly security sensitive service, Jwala management is said to have hired the services of a fireworks blaster who was drunk at the time and arranged the fireworks in a wrong manner.

At exactly 12:00 am, the fireworks were blasted. However, instead of the usual sky-high fires, these ones flew sideways towards the excited crowd and the walls.

According to the manager of Namaste Restaurant, Kaiwan Banji, there were three fireworks set up in a wrong manner posing life threatening incidents. He also stated that there was a risk to people’s lives and property.

His complaint to the owners of the Fireworks Company immediately after the incidents attracted fury instead of an apology from Jwala Fireworks management.

Banji says when the misfires occurred, he called Amitesh, one of the managers of Jwala Fireworks Company by 12:04 am three times but he didn’t pick his calls only to revert back to him after 10 minutes.

He adds that Baker was the first Jwala employee to arrive at the scene, and after seeing the shells, he confirmed that the fireworks blaster had made a mistake.

Nirav later called, asking if there had been any damage to property or lives, but in a very rude manner, he stated.

Nirav and his boss, Amitesh, the owner of Jwala Fireworks Company, drove into his restaurant after 1 a.m., clearly intoxicated, and physically assaulted him, raining blows on him in Mike Tyson style.

The police who were later called in to calm the situation confirmed that the fireworks blaster was intoxicated and arrested him.

Banji reported an assault at Acacia Police Post under Police Case No. 37/02/01/2025.

Asked what prompted the assault, Banji says that the fireworks blaster demanded money for his transport back home after the debacle which he refused to give because. He added that he wanted answers from his bosses first.

“After that, Nirav, manager of Reliance supermarket called twice on my number, still abusing me and asking me to wait at Namaste. After a little while he came to the restaurant along with Amitesh, owner of Reliance supermarket and Jwala fireworks. Both of them were drunk and both of them physically assaulted me, verbally abused me and called the police,” he says.

CCTV footage shows Banji helplessly being punched by both Nirav and Amitesh in front of the police before they loaded their fireworks equipment onto a truck.

What remains to be seen is how the police force will deal with its errant and overzealous staff, as well as the management of Jwala fireworks.

The event organiser has also submitted a written complaint to the chairman of the Indian Association.

The community and business community at large are waiting to see if a fair judgement and action will be issued, or if it will be swept under the carpet due to the usual bureaucracy and corrupt practices.