The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | At least 57, 171 guns belonging to both government and private security agencies have been fingerprinted.
Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, says the guns were fingerprinted in 24 regions including Kampala Metropolitan policing area that covers Kampala city, Wakiso and Mukono districts.
Other regions covered include Katonga, greater Masaka, Rwizi, Kigezi, Rwenzori East, Rwenzori West, Wamala, Savannah, Albertine, North Kyoga, Kidepo, Mt Moroto, Siipi, Elgon, North Bukedi, Bukedi Region, Kiira, Busoga North, Busoga East and Ssezibwa.
Other regions that haven’t been covered include Aswa that covers areas of Gulu and Omoro districts. The fingerprinted firearms belong to Uganda Police Force- UPF, Uganda Prisons Service-UPS, Private Security Organisations-PSO, Local Defence Unit – LDU and individuals.
Security agencies that are yet to be covered include Uganda People’s Defense Forces – UPDF, Special Forces Command -SFC, Internal Security Organisations -ISO and Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence – CMI.
Enanga says regions and security agencies or units whose guns haven’t been test fired and finger printed will be covered by the end of 2020.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni ordered for the test firing and finger printing of all firearms in the country at the peak of assassinations targeting both prominent and ordinary citizens in the country.
Museveni said fingerprinting guns would simplify investigations where detectives would be in position to know, which gun was used in the commission of crime and to whom it belongs.
Dozens of muslim clerics and security gurus had been assassinated by gunmen riding on motorcycles by the time Museveni ordered for the gun registration as part of 10 point security plan.
The gun victims include among others Mustafa Bayiga, the former Kampala district Amir, Hassan Kirya, the former Kibuli muslim spokesperson, Maj. Muhammad Kiggindu, former police spokesperson, Andrew Felix Kaweesi, former Arua Municipality MP, Ibrahim Abiriga and former Buyende district police commander, Muhammad Kirumira.
With guns details stored by forensic directorate, police will be entering details of bullet casings collected from the crime scene to trace the owner of the firearm used.
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