FDC asks govt to invest in intelligence

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has asked the government to invest more money in gathering intelligence to address the current insecurity in the country.

There has been a growing wave of attacks on security installations and personnel and abductions of people by security personnel moving in Toyota vans, locally known as drones.

Addressing the media in Kampala yesterday, Mr John Kikonyogo, the deputy spokesperson of FDC, said intelligence helps to gather information on criminal activities and these can be stopped before they happen.

He said deploying security personnel after a crime has been committed isn’t the best approach.

 “The police usually gives an explanation that contradicts that of the army (regarding police attacks and abduction). [The minister for Internal affairs], Gen Kahinda Otafire, is saying those are mere criminals and when the President came out to explain to the nation, he connected them to Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).The President said it was National Unity Platform (NUP) behind [police] attacks…,” he said.

He accused security agencies of giving the President wrong information.

Commenting on the abductions, Mr Kikonyogo said what is happening now is a replica of past regimes.

“During former President Idi Amin’s regime, people would be abducted and never to be seen again,” Mr Kigonyogo said.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Maj Gen Geoffrey Katsigazi, blamed the attacks on security personnel and installations on the Uganda Coalition for Change, a rebel group.

“The problem of attacking police posts and taking guns is a deliberate effort by a group of people who seem to think they can change the government by force. So, it’s no longer the same criminals who come and attack with machetes and rob. This is mainly to kill and take guns,” Maj Gen Katsigazi said.

However, Gen Otafire last week said attacks on security forces have nothing to do with a nascent insurgent group.

He said claims of an emerging armed rebellion are at the moment not supported with evidence.

“The same man who attacked Bukomero [in central Uganda] was the same man in Mbale [City in eastern Uganda], was also the same man killed in the Kapeeka [in central Uganda’s Nakaseke District] attack,” he said, adding, “But then everybody is saying three [people are] a rebel group … No. These are simple criminal gangs … It has nothing to do with rebellion, this is a sheer crime,’’ Gen Otafire said.

While responding to the issue of abductions in the country, he said the government cannot abduct its own citizens and anybody abducting citizens is committing a crime.

“When a government begins abducting its people, then it is no longer a government. People get arrested, not abducted. Why should a government abduct its citizens…?” he said.

His comments came at a time when NUP claims that at least 25 of its supporters were abducted.

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