The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander, senior commissioner of police Stephen Tanui, has blamed the area police officers in Komamboga area for being reluctant in enforcement of night time curfew restrictions.
This follows an explosion that occurred on Saturday night at Digida pork joint in Komamboga suburb, Kawempe division in Kampala district, that left one person dead and several injured.
Police said that three people, Rose Nakitto, Annet Kiconco and Peter Ssengozi, were critically injured while Emily Nyineneza, a waiter succumbed to the injuries.
In a security meeting with residents and local leaders chaired by KMP Commandment Stephen Tanui, at Komamboga playground on Sunday, few meters from the scene of crime, Tanui who vowed to apprehend all curfew violators in Kampala areas also faulted area police officers and their commanders for looking on when people continuously violate curfew regulations.
“The directives are very clear, no one should be in the bar or any place past 7:00 pm. But because of reluctant officers, these places were open. Now they will start giving excuses on this and that. But this unwillingness is very unacceptable in police,” said Tanui.
He however promised local leaders that there will be intensified operations that will fish out those people who still violate curfew regulations.
Among the area leaders is Noah Mukasa Sserumaga, chairperson Central zone-Komamboga, who reported to the authorities that the area has more than 10 bars that operate past curfew time without any interruption.
He claims that police officers at Komamboga police post always find difficulty to enforce curfew at these places since some of them are reportedly owned and managed by their high ranking security counterparts.
Emmanuel Sserunjogi, the Kawempe division mayor calls on police to beef-up intelligence between police and locals that can lead to the arrest and closure of places that are still defying curfew.
“I think that police intelligence is very lacking, I mean there is no connection with local people,” he added. He questioned how people gather to drink everyday and yet police say they don’t know about these places operating. Sserunjogi appealed to police to improve on community policing which he believes will help in fighting such acts.
Sources however indicate that some police commanders in Kampala Metropolitan North have been arrested in relation to the blast in Komamboga. But Fred Enanga, the police spokesperson could not confirm or deny the arrests.
“I cannot confirm any arrest of our territorial commanders, but when we have such an incident, we do review and evaluate circumstances. We look at our security posture, and then the response of our teams, but all this is under review by competent teams and if there is any arrest we shall be communicating to the public,” says Enanga.
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