Uganda Police Chief Political Commissar, AIGP Asan Kasingye has urged members of the public to embrace neighborhood watch system ( Mayumba Kumi) as one way of fighting crime in societies.
“The crime prevention aspect of major crimes in this country or in modern policing requires the adoption of community policing as a strategy to be seriously considered at the village level. We are looking at stratifying villages into Mayumba Kumi community policing concept. This is a community policing concept where we have 10 houses coming together, working hand in hand with the police in the fight against crime,” Kasingye said.
Villages should register residents,” he said, “People who stay in that mayumba kumi should be known. This will help in identifying new people in the area who are not known and who could be wrong elements hence need to call the police.”
“If you see anybody looking suspicious, please report to police whether the reports are genuine or not. The police will not blame those who are giving us information,” he added.
Kasingye noted that prevention of crime necessitates members of the community and society in general working hand in hand with the police.
He thus explained the concept that : “The ten house hold (Mayumba Kumi) will have to elect at least four representatives which will work under the local council chairman’s look out. Teams, stakeholders like schools, hospitals, churches, boda boda and taxi communities should be sitting together to identify crime challenges within their areas and find solutions together with the police. ”
Let us be conscious, he advised: “Watch our neighborhood, then we shall have a coordinated effort that will result into a multiplier effect. We can fight kidnaps, murder and other general crimes using this policing strategy.”
It should be noted that the police is working hard to improve its technical capacity to enhance crime prevention through methods like CCTV cameras and general patrols consolidated into a unified command of 999 that act quickly precisely wherever there is a problem.
Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
