In an unprecedented move, the Kampala Metropolitan Police has issued a stern directive banning private security guards from carrying firearms in the region until the end of January.
The decision, communicated through a letter addressed to managing directors of private security organizations, comes in light of the imminent high-profile summits – the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and G77+ China summits hosted by Uganda.
With the summits set to kick off today at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala and expecting a staggering 1,000 to 1,500 delegates from over 100 countries, the police are leaving nothing to chance in their bid to fortify security measures.
Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) John Nuwagira, the police director for operations, emphasized the urgency of the situation in the letter. Private security firms have been instructed to explore alternative options for firearm storage during the ban period.
“You may explore the possibility of keeping guns at areas of deployment where the guards on rotation hand over to the incoming or a collective transportation by purposed vehicles under escort of police,” stated Nuwagira.
The ban specifically targets private security guards deployed in the Kampala Metropolitan Area. Guards stationed at hotels accommodating summit guests and those deployed in shopping malls have been placed under special emphasis. Nuwagira urged the security personnel to strictly adhere to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), maintain heightened vigilance, and cooperate fully with security agencies.
“Compliance with lawful orders within their respective areas of operation is also expected,” added Nuwagira, underscoring the seriousness and urgency of the matter.
Private security organizations are required to treat the directive with utmost significance, fully complying with the firearm movement ban.
The police emphasized the need for these organizations to take necessary measures to ensure the successful implementation of the directive during this critical period.
As the summit days unfold, the Kampala Metropolitan Area is under heightened surveillance, raising questions about the potential security risks that prompted such an extraordinary measure.
The city is now a stage for a delicate dance between security forces and private security organizations as they navigate the challenges of securing the high-profile international events without the aid of firearms.
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