IGP asks marine police to follow healthy lifestyles

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abbas Byakagaba has said police officers in the marine unit must avoid reckless lifestyles if they are to secure the country’s water bodies.

“Be mindful of your responsibilities, the biggest concern is to make sure that we protect our boundaries and protect our waters but all that being done to secure the people of Uganda, which is very critical, we must realise our positioning as far as the country’s aspirations are concerned,” he said.

Mr Byakagaba made the remarks while passing out 53 marine police officers who completed an eight-month induction course at the Police Marine Base in Kigo, Wakiso District, on Friday.

“There is a critical role you play, which isn’t played by other players within the force, most of us can move everywhere on land………., you are one of our critical assets, and we are going to make sure you get better than where you are now,” he said.

The IGP emphasised that the police management attaches a lot of value to training despite the meagre resources available.

“Over the past eight months, you have endured pain and exhaustion, have been separated from your friends and families, you were able to carry out an extra sacrifice, I would like that spirit to continue, we aren’t doing it for ourselves but for the people of Uganda,” he said.

The Commandant of Marine Police, Mr Sulaiman Kirungi, said of the 55 participants who started the 8-month course in December last year, two of them died.

Deaths

“PPC Ajaga Musema drowned while on training and PPC Joe Paul Okello succumbed to lung cancer………we have had these trainees for this long because of fluctuating logistical support but we thank God they have completed their course. We feel they are ready to carry on with maritime operations,” he said.

The Director of Police Operations, Mr Frank Mwesigwa, said the passed-out unit will be critical in ensuring security on Uganda’s waters.

“The biggest threat we have on water is terrorism, part of this team will be deployed on Lake Albert where we have our oil and gas resources to make sure they patrol terrorists crossing from DRC to come and attack our oil projects in Tilenga and Kingfisher,” he said.