How security will enforce inter-district transport ban

Police say they have mobilised the army, local defence unit personnel and local vigilante groups to enforce the inter-district public transport ban that takes effect tomorrow.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said despite the enormous task, the joint security committee has done the deployment mathematics and will be able to enforce the measures.

“Our numbers, those of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, LDUs and local support teams are enough to enforce these guidelines. The only problem would have been the Kampala Metropolitan area if it was among them. Rural districts are easy to police,” Mr Enanga said yesterday.
President Museveni ordered the suspension of inter-district public transport for 42 days effective Friday, except for Kampala, Mukono and Wakiso districts as one of the measures to curb the spread of coronavirus.

According to the security plan, they will mobilise more than 500 armed and non-armed personnel per district to carry out the enforcement of the guidelines.
“The traffic commanders of every district have data on public transport vehicles operating in their jurisdiction. They know the traffic flow on each road. With such data, we can’t fail to execute the guidelines,” Mr Enanga said.
Many experts such as medical doctors and engineers have been using public means to crisscross districts to provide essential services.

Mr Enanga said the director of police operations, Mr Edward Ochom, gave guidance to all commanders to deal with essential workers’ travel on a case by case basis.
“Cargo trucks are allowed to move, but they should have a maximum of two people. Any excess persons will be forced to disembark and the driver fined heavily,” Mr Enanga said.
Police plan to use their CCTV camera system to ensure compliance.
Enforcement of district border security will be a challenge for the security agencies due to limited numbers.
On average, a district police command has 200 police officers, who work in two shifts a day. This means at least 100 officers are on duty every 12 hours. 

Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesman Luke Owoyesigyire said they have already deployed at each main route connecting Mukono and Wakiso districts.
Mr Owoyesigyire said they understand the challenges of several unofficial routes that people might use to connect from one district to another, but they will be monitoring and anyone found on the wrong side of law will be punished.