The Police leadership must listen to the public and therefore clean its image by routing the ‘rotten elements’, President Yoweri Museveni has said.
Speaking at the State of the Nation Address (SONA) today Mr. Museveni said the police should not wait for the public to react in order to get committed to their work.
The President also reiterated his directive to the police to to have cameras fixed at strategic places to help curb crime.
“The absence of cameras put a lot of burden on the CID to discover the one who committed the crime using eye witnesses
I have given instructions to close this gap. We are going to acquire those cameras for the towns,” he said, and implored rich businessmen and residents that can afford to install cameras around their homes and businesses.
The President further noted that through good intelligence, most crimes can be prevented.
“Inspite of the gaps, an annual event, with all terrorists hovering the place, could not disturb the peace; the police force will continue to grow stronger as it was intended,” Mr. Museveni said.
He also said the force had over the years, recruited competent officers capable of handling demanding assignments. “I can inform the public that since 1986 we recruited capable leaders,” he said at the Serena Conference Centre.
He noted that so far 77 people had been arrested in connection with the throwing of threatening leaflets in the rural areas, mostly in Masaka and Mpigi.
He also cautioned the police against sporadic arrests of youth. “The other day I was in Kalerwe and the youth were complaining of police arrests for being idle. But that must stop. They are idle because they have no jobs,” the President said.
