President Yoweri Museveni has said they were forced to introduce CCTV camera project due to limited man power in the Uganda Police Force.
In a statement issued on Saturday May 4. 2019, Museveni said he is so far happy with the project since it has created a positive impact in the country.
“The Police force we have now is only 43,000, about half of what we need. It is this gap, plus some corruption within that Police force, that created a window for the spate of unresolved murders of the Sheikhs, Kagezi, Kawesi and Kiggundu. The kidnapers of Susanne Magara were identified, arrested and some were killed in the fight in the Mosque. The Kiddawalime group in Masaka that killed 5 people on New Year ’s Eve in the Masaka area, were all arrested or killed. Nevertheless, to cover the gaps, we decided to introduce technology – cameras, electronic identification of vehicles etc. This is being implemented,” he stated.
“Where it has been implemented, there is no fooling around. Some months ago, those on social media were able to see a cell phone thief who was promptly identified, pursued and arrested. This is a fore-taste of things to come. Crime will be defeated as we defeated rural terrorism.”
On the other hand, the President also warned the opposition on protests. He said they have adamantly refused to liaise with Police when they want to hold public assemblies which threatens the country’s peace and security.
“If you want to hold a public meeting (olu kungana) or a procession (ekivulu) for a legitimate reason, you should liaise with the Police, so that your public meeting or your procession does not endanger the lives of other Ugandans or the safety of their property. You agree with the Police on the route, if it involves a procession, or the venue if it is an event or a rally. The problem we have with some elements of the opposition is that they ignore this.
“They want to hold meetings or processions near markets or through crowded streets. This one we cannot allow. It is the core principle of the NRM never to allow the looting or damaging people’s property or endangering their lives,” said the President.
He further noted that insisting on a procession or an assembly in a market or crowded street is a very serious crime.
“This we cannot allow and we have not allowed in the past. That is one of the reasons Uganda is growing at more than 6% per annum. Other parts of the World are growing at 2.3% (World Bank figures). The last looting of People’s property that we had was in 1979. Looting will never happen again, in the towns, under the NRM. With our present capacity, looting cannot happen again even in the rural areas.”
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