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How merger of police posts will affect you
Busiika Police Station in Luweero District, which was recently attacked by armed men, has been merged with Bugema Police Station. PHOTO/DAN WANDERA
What you need to know:
- President Museveni in 2019 said the demand for more personnel was putting a lot of pressure on government coffers.
- He argued that a skeleton police manpower at the sub-county can ably deliver services since many sub-counties have reduced in size to an average of 20km in radius.
Local council leaders in the central region are worried that the crime rate may shoot up as the police withdraw posts from villages and parishes to sub-counties.
In 2019, President Museveni directed that the lowest police unit should be at the sub-county, with each station having at least 20 police officers and two motorcycles.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said they started piloting the sub-county policing model last week, with 129 police posts merged, including those in Kampala Metropolitan area.
Local leaders in different parts of the central region where the project is being piloted fear that they may be exposed to criminals.
Luweero District chairperson Erasto Kibirango said the area the sub-county police station will cover will be too big for the officers to respond to crime in time.
“We have Kamira Sub-county where the authorities have merged two police posts. The residents will walk a distance of more than 20kms to the nearest police post in Kamira Town. Is that fair?” Mr Kibirango wondered.
The number of police posts was increased during the era of Gen Kale Kayihura. Gen Kayihura requested residents to provide accommodation for a police post and the Force would provide manpower under the community policing programme. This led to reduction of crime.
However, the police started demanding for more personnel to man the posts and stations. But President Museveni said the demand for more personnel was putting a lot of pressure on government coffers.
In the reorganisation, Kasana Police Station in Kasana Town has been merged with Luweero Central Police Station; Sekamuli Police Post with Bamunanika Police Station and Kasiiso Police Post with Luweero Central Police Station.
Wabitungulu Police Post has been merged with Zirobwe Police Station, Busula Police Post with Wobulenzi Police Station and Busiika Police Station with Bugema Police Station.
Luweero Resident District Commissioner Richard Bwabye said in areas where they will find need to maintain posts, they will raise it in the security meeting and act accordingly.
“It is true some villages are in disadvantaged geographical locations that will necessitate having police presence as far as security is concerned,” Mr Bwabye said.
In the Wamala Police Region that covers districts of Mityana, Mubende and Kyankwanzi, 21 police posts have been merged.
Mr Bonny Kamoga, a resident of Ssekanyonyi Town Council, said the merger of the police posts will lead to delays in responding to crime incidents and promote mob action.
In Mukono Municipality, Mr Joachim Ssendi, the chairperson of Lweza Village in Mukono Central Division, said they have been lobbying for a police post to deal with rising crime, but the nearest post will also be closed, which will complicate the situation more.
Mukono Deputy Resident District Commissioner Henry Kitambula said the new arrangement is being experimented and they will take note of any challenges and correct them.
Mr Richard Lugoloobi, the chairperson for Kiwanga-Lwanda Village in Mukono, said the closure of Kiwanga-Yese and Kiwanga Upper Trading Centre police posts is a concern.
“The criminals in those areas are already in jubilation since they are going to execute their evil missions without much interruption from the police,” Mr Lugoloobi said.
Mr Alex Ssenyonga, the speaker of Nkokonjeru Town Council, Buikwe District, wondered: “We have been experiencing insecurity even when the police post is near here. What is going to happen when it is in Ngogwe Sub-county, which is two kilometres away?”
Mr Abel Nsimbi, a resident of Kimaanya A in Masaka City, said Greater Masaka area is reeling from attacks by machete-wielding thugs and need more police posts at village level.
“What informed their decision to merge police posts; how will police at a sub-county coordinate the intelligence reports at village level?” he wondered.
Reported by Al Mahdi Ssenkabirwa, Dan Wandera, Jessica Nabukenya, Denis Ssebwami, Sylvester Ssemugenyi, Wilson Kutamba, Brian Adams Kesiime, Malik F Jjingo, Priscilla Maloba and Andrew Bagala
