Police in Kampala has embarked on a community security sensitization campaign ahead of the festive Yule season that includes Christmas, Boxing and New Year’s Day.
Kampala Metropolitan Commander Frank Mwesigwa, accompanied by officials including the DPC Kiira, OC CID and OC Kiwatule, convened a meeting with the residents of Wabiduku in Kiwatule Zone of Nakawa Division, to update them about community policing, that is also referred to as ‘neighbourhood watch’.
David Mwebaze, the coordinator of police and the locals who chaired the meeting, expressed concern at the drunkenness pervading the locals during the early hours of the day.
Addressing the gathering Prossy Butazi (SP) encouraged the residents to actively involve themselves in the neighbourhood watch that involves knowing your neighbours and their behavioural traits.
SP Butazi also said that all residents, irrespective of their status, should register with the local council and possess village identity cards besides the workplace and national identities.
However, the LC1 chairperson George William Ssemboze noted that ‘neighbourhood watch’ and registration of residents in Kiwatule faced diverse challenges having many residential apartments whose tenants are mostly foreigners, among them South Sudanese and Asians.
“These do not want to have anything to do with community affairs since they stay in gated houses yet their landlords are not residents of the area,” Mr Ssemboze said, adding that the LCs are not allowed to access their premises.
He also noted that there is lack of proper coordination between the OC and the other police officers, a development he attributed to the rate at which OCs are being transferred.
The OC of Kiwatule Mosses Mwine Lutayitwa (ASP), said that his two months presence in the area has been characterized with insecurity,a case in point being the attack on a lady, and subsequent robbery of her vehicle on a day the IGP Kale Kayihura and the DPC were in the area.
However, according to ASP Mwine, during his orientation with the chairpersons from the four different zones which make up Kiwatule, he has been able to identify the dark spots, which include Wabiduku and ‘Arab Contractors’.
Areas along the Northern Bypass around Mogas Fuel Station [near Cynabel supermarkert] harbour a gang of thieves who, after midnight rob and rape women, ASP Mwine added.
However, as the OC was making this statement some of the police officers were heard blaming him for not stopping such vices “yet he is fully aware of the dark spots.”
One of the officers known as Semitego as per his name tag said if the IGP was present at the time ASP Mwine made the remarks ‘he would not be the OC of Kiwatule with immediate effect’.
But the DPC of Kiira Road Wilberforce Waibi, came in to the rescue of his senior colleague, and assured the residents that the police is working hard to eradicate the said vices.
Guest speaker, KMP Commander CP Frank Mwesigwa, said timely dissemination of information cooperation between the police and locals in respect to criminals will help curb crime.
“We are to begin a watch list which details all former convicts since most of them are released with new tactics and skills,” CP Mwesigwa said, adding that the area will be reinforced by police officers in plain clothes..
“The police manpower at the zone posts will be increased to boost on their activities, CP Mwesigwa said, before ordering for the deployment of policemen to all police booth in the area.
He also cautioned policemen against drunkenness while on duty.
