Prime
New security chiefs have their work cut out for them
Inspector General of Police, Mr Abbas Byakagaba. Photo | Frank Baguma
What you need to know:
- There is always equipment, officers, and quick deployment to break an Opposition meeting or rally. Let the resources be channeled to breaking the criminal gangs, and the wrong people like the minister has advised
During the installation of the newly-appointed Inspector General of Police Abbas Byakagaba and his deputy James Ocaya at the police headquarters in Naguru on Tuesday, the Internal Affairs minister, who also doubles as the chairman of the Police authority, Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire, asked the police not to harass or beat the opposition politicians, but to deal with the bad conduct among the people, whether opposition supporters or not. This was a good message coming from a senior government official and senior leader in the ruling National Resistance Movement. There have been complaints about the police’s quick response to Opposition rallies, assemblies, and meetings and the use of heavy hands in dealing with the opposition in various parts of the country. At the same time, the rise in crime within Kampala city and other places worries the public, especially wondering why the police are not reacting to the crime wave with the same enthusiasm they do for breaking Opposition rallies and meetings.
In recent weeks, a series of videos have surfaced on social media, showing these violent assaults. In one of the videos on Ben Kiwanuka Street, someone was assaulted by two attackers, with kicks that incapacitated him before being robbed of money and other belongings.
The incidents are part of the continuing criminal activities in Kampala and suburbs such as Kawempe, Nabweru, Nateete, Kasubi, and the Northern Bypass. There are many victims of thugs wielding pangas, throwing pavers, and others masquerading as boda riders and taxi drivers, the recent case being thugs who killed five women in just 69 days.
Therefore, the public is very excited about the new leadership at the police and hopes for better management of crime in the country. There is always equipment, officers, and quick deployment to break an Opposition meeting or rally. Let the resources be channeled to breaking the criminal gangs, and the wrong people like the minister has advised.
Mr Byakagaba has fought terrorists in this country for a long time. These criminals using pavers and pangas, and killing women with such ease are not any different from terrorists. In any case, they have caused much more fear than the terrorists themselves in the last couple of weeks.
While any well-meaning citizens should laud Gen Otafiire’s comments, they put a lot of burden on Gen Otafiire himself to walk the talk, but also on the new police chiefs to make Uganda safe and secure for its citizens to go about their daily hassles without worry of losing all they are toiling for to the thugs or even losing their lives. Gen Otafiire is also part of the government that should not only hunt down these criminals but also look at avenues of rehabilitating them into productive citizens. A look at the age group of the thugs reveals these are primary school drop-outs or did not attend school at all. Their age, many below 20, are telling of what the future can be if they are not handled now.
