LUWEERO – The Police leadership in Luweero district has withdrawn its personnel from guarding private property in a move to re-enforce its installations.
There are 978 policemen in the Savannah Police Region comprising of Luwero, Nakaseke, and Nakasongola districts.
However, scores of police officers have been guarding factories and private property leaving the public crying foul over inadequate manpower at Police stations. Now as Police move to re-organise and protect their installation as well as communities against attacks, commanders have withdrawn policemen from private property.
This is one of the strategies to help the force achieve the target of deploying 18 policemen at every station.
Patrick Lule, the Acting Savannah Region Police Spokesperson said that the affected private installations have been advised to hire guards from reserve security firms.
Lule said that they have also established the Flying Squad Unit and Riders’ Brigade to boost their responses in curbing crime.
The changes are also intended to secure the district during the festival season. Erastus Kibirango, the Luweero LCV Chairperson has welcomed the development, saying they private firms can afford to hire their own guards. Kibirango said that several Police Posts were unable to respond and fight crimes due to inadequate manpower as some of their colleagues were guarding factories.
Ahmed Kasibante, the Busiika Town councillor asked the police force to facilitate its officers if the re-organisation was to improve their services. Kasibante noted after attack on Busiika Police Station, the force merged it with Bugema Police Post and left the area without security. He said that although the force deployed a Patrol van, it stopped operations within a week, due to the lack of fuel.
Richard Bwabye, the Luwero RDC said that fuel wasn’t enough due to little funding for the force. He has asked the district council to allocate some funds to help police in its operations aimed at securing the residents.
At least five security personnel have been killed and six guns stolen in various attacks in Luweero district. In July this year, four men armed with machetes overran a police checkpoint at Kiwumpa village along the Kampala – Gulu highway, hacking two police constables on guard leaving one dead. They took-off with two firearms.
On October 31st, 2022, about seven assailants armed with a pistol and firearms raided Busiika Police Station and shot dead two Policemen. The thugs made off with two firearms. One of the police officers succumbed to the gunshot wounds a few days later at Mulago National Referral Hospital.
On Tuesday evening, President Yoweri Museveni assured the nation that there is no security threat that couldn’t be dealt with. He said all Ugandans needed to be vigilant and report any threats to the nearest security forces. He said most of those who have been involved in attacks on security forces were either killed or are in jail.
Additional reporting by URN
