Residents up in arms over police fire-fighting gear
Poor state. The fire fighting vehicle at Jinja Police Station that currently serves the entire district. PHOTO BY DENIS EDEMA
What you need to know:
- Speaking during the handover ceremony in Namanve, Wakiso District, Mr Mwesige noted that the Local Government Act reserves the right to fight fire with municipalities but they could take up the role because the former lacked capacity.
Jinja. Jinja Police Station lacks fire-fighting equipment, hampering its effectiveness to respond to fire outbreaks within the district.
According to sources, of the four fire-fighting vehicles at the station, only one is functional but is in a poor mechanical condition.
“Two have been grounded while the other is undergoing repair,” sources said.
The state has forced residents to turn to private companies in case of a fire outbreak in Jinja Town or its environs.
Indeed, police fire brigade trucks, which have responded to fire outbreaks in the area, have often found first responders from private companies, notably Nytil and Nile Ply.
Most recently, when fire gutted Kiira FM road station on Clive Road in Jinja Town, residents blamed police fire fighters for not only responding to the scene late, but for doing so without water.
Residents concern
“We have witnessed that whenever there is a fire outbreak within Jinja Town, police take long to respond. Either their vehicle comes without water or its engine fails,” says Mr Simon Kibalama, a resident of Jinja Town.
However, the Jinja District Police Commander, Mr Vincent Irama, at the weekend denied the allegations, saying police always respond to fire incidents in time.
“Police cannot drive to fight fire without water; the problem is when fire breaks out, sections of the public want to put it out themselves and only think of police when it has intensified,” Mr Irama said.
“We always respond to fire incidents in time and after ascertaining the situation, call for backup from private fire-fighting companies like Nytil, Kakira Sugar Limited and Nile Ply,” Mr Irama said.
No water hydrants
It has emerged that the water hydrants that were put in town in case of a fire outbreak have all been removed by the National Water and Sewage Corporation, leaving only one at the police station, which serves the entire district.
This has left one metre reader that is freely being accessed by other fire fighting companies that come to assist police whenever there is a fire outbreak in Jinja Town or its environs.
Past assistance
Past case. The Ministry of Local Government in 2013 handed over to police 49 fire trucks acquired as part of the $100 million loan from China’s Exim bank.
The trucks were handed over by President Museveni in the company of then Minister for Local Government Adolf Mwesige.
Speaking during the handover ceremony in Namanve, Wakiso District, Mr Mwesige noted that the Local Government Act reserves the right to fight fire with municipalities but they could take up the role because the former lacked capacity.
Pledge. The then police chief, Gen Kale Kayihura, promised that the Force would build a regional fire fighting training centre.
