The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura today launched an operation in the suburbs of Kampala to rid the city of a group known as Kifeesi, that have been accused of involvement in criminal activities.
Kayihura, accompanied by journalists, combed several areas, starting at Conrad Street at the ROCO construction premises. The Police chief said he had received many complaints from the public about cases of murder, theft of property and threats, with groups moving with sharp knives, stones and guns.
He combed railway quarters, where it is said the Kifeesi hide in trenches, Katwe, Base, Kevina, Katenda, Nkere, Ave Marie, Nabisaalu zones in Nsambya and Makindye One.
Aaron Baguma, the area Superintendent of Police assured Kayihura that 36 suspects had just been arrested around Conrad plaza and Clock Tower after they allegedly put up road blocks in the past week.
“We have a problem with the Kifeesi but we try to hand them to police once held. We need to work together with crime preventers and police effectively now that you have visited our premises,” said a Katwe councilor Deo Kasana.
Kasana tipped the police about the whereabouts of the Kifeesi goons especially in Agape, Kevina Zone.
Kayihura was grateful to the media and the area resident for the collaborative effort towards the drive to stop the Kifeesi.
“We shall strengthen policing in slum areas by operating more deployments and rectification of the areas because they are insecure and residential of wrongdoers, until the city is clean.We have hardened criminals who need rehabilitation.”
Meanwhile, Kale Kayihura told the press Tuesday that they will enforce a court order prohibiting Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) prayers and assemblies in the city.
“The court order was issued against FDC officials, agents and supporters discontinuing engagements in demonstrations, processions, media campaigns, public meetings or pronouncements in furtherance to defiant campaigns held in the city and other parts of the country,” Kayihura asserted.
“As the country prepares for the swearing in ceremony of the President elect on 12th May 2016, police is bound to ensure law and order, safety and security in the city. The public is asked to be vigilant and cooperate with forces to ensure stability of the country in case of any launch on terror attacks.”
He warned that FDC leaders and supporters that will not comply with the constitutional court order in respect to the defiance campaign will be in contempt of court and shall be criminally liable and face police arrest. “If they aren’t contented with the order, they can still go to court,” he said.
“We inform the media and public that the Tuesday and Thursday demonstrations in form of prayers held at the FDC headquarters are prohibited by a court order.”
Those are idlers, deprived youth with nothing to do, create jobs for them rather than criminalising them, it’s shame that government can take such actions Inoted of rehabilitating the deprived youth.
What an African Democracy that is exporting the same to all the neighbouring countries on this continent. One day the leadership is running around with taxpayers money seeking a free and fair vote from these young citizens. The next day the same leadership is branding these young citizens hard core criminals of the highest order! They belong to the gutters of the slums. They must be imprisoned and the keys to their locked doors thrown into Lake Nalubaale. Please IGP make out some African common sense out of all this social quagmire?