The Kiira regional police command, led by SSP Charles Nsaba and with the support of the cantonment commander for the Busoga Sub-Region, Brigadier General Emmanuel Kanyesigye, has intensified security efforts to ensure public safety during the festive season, both before, during, and after the celebrations.
“Different security agencies will work hand-in-hand with the public to avert dangerous situations and crimes such as terrorism, murder, aggravated robberies, arson, and disruptive criminal activities through intensified joint security intelligence,” said SSP Charles Nsaba.
The force is conducting both day and night joint security patrols, with an emphasis on foot patrols, motorcycle squads, and motor vehicle patrols targeting areas with large public gatherings, roads, streets, high-risk areas, government installations, and music shows, among others.
Intensified joint security planning, monitoring, and review meetings are being led by the Regional Commissioner (RCC), Mr. Richard Gulume, for the Jinja City and Jinja District. This aims to offer command and guidance to field officers to ensure the required security across the region.
Mr. Nsaba also called for increased community policing programs targeting families, business communities, the boda-boda industry, the transport sector, factories, hotels, hospitals, churches, mosques, music shows, markets, and local leaders, such as the LC system, among others.
He added that all CCTV cameras will be operational day and night to monitor activities in the region, capturing technological evidence against suspected culprits and helping to avert dangerous situations.
A visible presence of traffic police will be maintained on all major roads, such as the Trans-Africa Highway, Jinja-Iganga-Busia Highway, and Jinja-Kamuli Road, to curb road accidents and highway robberies, with the support of integrated highway patrol vehicles, said SP James Mubi, the Kiira Region Police Spokesperson.
He further stated that all hospitals and health facilities will be required to capture information on newborn babies daily and provide this information to relevant authorities, including the police. Local Councils (LC1s) in Kiira Region will be responsible for recording and maintaining official records of all people residing in their areas, including labeling all homes. Hospitals and health facilities will also capture the details of parents and guardians of newborn babies. This will be done on a daily basis from January to December each year.
Joint marine deployments will take place day and night on all water bodies in the region, particularly Lake Victoria and the River Nile, to prevent piracy, drowning, and other incidents involving lawful water users. This will also involve sensitizing boat operators on water transport security measures and providing support to regular joint security deployments on the source of the Nile bridges and islands, such as Kisima 1 and 2, and tourism sites like Samuka Island. Both police and Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) vessels will be visible on the waters at all times.
Special attention has been given to all government installations in the region, such as the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) oil reserves in Jinja City, the Nile bridges, power stations, Kiira Motors, Bank of Uganda, police stations and posts, Uganda Revenue Authority offices in Jinja (URA), major roads like the Kampala-Maraba Highway, and Kimaka Airfield, among others.
Private security organizations (PSOs), such as Industrial Security Services (ISS), have been briefed on securing the festive season, with an emphasis on access control, the timely sharing of information, and the observance of human rights in partnership with the Uganda Police, SP Mubi added.
Public cooperation and coordination will be enhanced through the timely sharing of information. The public is encouraged to report all suspicious persons and activities, ensure neighborhood watches, provide lighting systems in their homes, avoid bomb shelters (e.g., piling rubbish) in homes, monitor their homes and roads, report abandoned motorcycles and vehicles, report missing children, report families torturing children or neglecting them, and report fire outbreaks.
Lastly, all music shows, performances, and fireworks displays must be cleared by the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
