Prime
Urgent solutions needed to stem suburban gun violence
Security officials inspect the salon where Pte Sabiiti killed himself in Kyanja Town on May 9, 2023. PHOTO/ISAAC KASAMANI
What you need to know:
- Criminals and those involved in gun violence take advantage of the laidback and rather concealed pockets in the suburbs to commit daring acts.
- A review of community policing in busy suburbs is required to stem the rising tide of shootings.
Two high profile murders in one week in a neighbourhood notorious for execution-style shootings has raised more than one serious question on security in general and policing of suburban neighbourhoods.
In the wake of the shooting of fallen Assistant Inspector General of Police Andrew Felix Kaweesi in March 2017, President Museveni directed that cameras be installed immediately in all major towns of Uganda and along the highways.
The National CCTV Network Expansion Project started in 2018 but the efficiency of installed cameras in crime detection and prevention has come under scrutiny following reports that in some areas, cameras had been nonfunctional for a long time.
Last year, the Monitor carried an investigation on the failing cameras, which uncovered that at least four out of 10 installed cameras were nonfunctional for a variety of reasons.
In mid-2021, Kampala City suffered a series of daring daytime robberies in full glare of the street cameras. This exposed some gaps in the ability of the command centre to detect crimes before they unfold.
As a result, there was usually a slow response or none to unfolding situations. As the government sought a supplementary budget for the third phase of CCTV camera installation this year, the outgoing ICT police director, Mr Yusuf Ssewanyana, told a meeting between the police leadership and the members of Parliament on the Defence and Internal Affairs Committee, that CCTV cameras on many roads were affected by dust, rain, power cuts and constant cable cuts by construction companies.
Since the shooting of the AIGP six years ago, there have been several high profile shootings, many of them unfortunately happening on isolated suburban roads. In at least two cases, there was a police station or post in the vicinity, which failed to respond to the shooting.
In more than three instances, the victims of gun violence were shot as they left or arrived in their areas of residence. It is possible that criminals find it easier to operate in the less secured areas where the neighbouring communities and their victims along with their security have let their guard down.
Investigations are also complicated by the time lapse between the commission of the crime and arrival of law enforcement, which also introduces the danger of crime scene tampering. Criminals and those involved in gun violence take advantage of the laidback and rather concealed pockets in the suburbs to commit daring acts.
A review of community policing in busy suburbs is required to stem the rising tide of shootings.
