UPC Asks Security Agencies to Directly Involve Village Council Officials in Operations

The Uganda People’s Congress party (UPC) has called upon government security agencies to revise some of their operations particularly the arrests and how they are conducted.
UPC says security personnel need to get Village Council officials on board whenever arrests are made, provide the suspects with clear identification of the arresting authority and a clear explanation of the arrest to minimize the security tension in communities.
“This is purposely to reduce and block the way for people who masquerade as security officers and carry out heinous acts of armed robberies, kidnaps and other dubious acts that leave the lives of our people in danger if not lost,” Faizo Muzeyi, UPC Head of Media and Communications told journalists in their weekly briefing on Wednesday.

Muzeyi urged police and all other security agencies to invest much in among other things; effective community policing and intelligence “so that that the security of the people and their property in the country is guaranteed.”

ChimpReports understands that Police, through its Community Policing Department, recently announced it had adopted the Local Council System as one of the ways to fight crime in Uganda.

ACP Anatoli Muleterwa, the Head of Community Policing Department, said that he and SP Cyprian Okino had been engaging local leaders on their cardinal roles and responsibilities during an upcountry tour.
“We have realized that the local council leaders have a lot of power which we would like to tap into. They are mandated by the Local Council Act to resolve incidents of disharmony, issues related to misunderstanding between members of the community, communication and coordination among them and ensuring that there’s an improved relationship,” Muleterwa said.
Muzeyi told reporters that open day robberies like the recent Kyambogo Estates raid by thugs who disguised as workers of National Water and Sewage Corporation (NWSC) and robbed Shs 85m should be taken seriously and prevented next time through various means.

“All service providers should introduce unique features on the Identification Cards and uniforms of their staff and inform/notify their clients either through phone calls or text messages using a well-recognized telephone, a day before the arranged check-ups for security purposes,” he said.
Meanwhile, UPC applauded government for the introduction of the security (CCTV) cameras that caught and filmed thugs who attacked the Chinese nationals at their residence.
“The Party, however, has noted that majority of our people cannot afford such cameras. The CCTV footage can help in investigations and bringing the culprits to book, but cannot replace the life lost,” he said.
Eulogy
UPC used the same platform to send its heartfelt condolences to the Catholic Church for the loss of Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga of Kampala Archdiocese who succumbed to heart complications on Saturday last week.
“It is indeed a great loss to the Catholic Church in particular and the nation at large. He will be remembered for his enormous contributions in the fight against poverty and promotion of human rights,” said Muzeyi.