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Jinja, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Geoffrey Katsigazi has reassured the general public of maximum security despite recent terror alerts issued by the United Kingdom and the United States governments.
Early this week the UK and US issued travel advisories cautioning their nationals against visiting crowded areas like Jinja City, which is hosting the Nyege-Nyege music festival.
The travel advisories indicate that terrorists may be targeting foreign nationals. However, Katsigazi insists that the country is safe for everyone, including international guests. During an inspection of the Nyege-Nyege festival area, he informed journalists that a significant deployment of personnel from the police, UPDF, and prisons is in place to ensure the safety of revelers.
Katsigazi emphasized that Uganda has developed the internal capacity to prevent all forms of terrorism and is actively addressing the prevailing terror threats to ensure the safety of all individuals. He also noted Uganda’s track record in successfully countering terrorism, despite being located in a region with neighboring countries experiencing frequent acts of terrorism.
This year’s Nyege-Nyege festival is taking place across the Source of River Nile tourism site, agricultural showgrounds, and the Jinja golf course. To enhance security, bomb detectors for pedestrians and vehicles have been installed, along with a network of CCTV cameras to monitor the safety of festival attendees.
Additionally, UPDF and police marine personnel are stationed around the Source of the River Nile to prevent any potential security breaches involving water bodies. Katsigazi encourages the general public to attend the Nyege-Nyege festival with confidence, as they are taking security seriously throughout the festivities.
Aly Alibhai, the Nyege-Nyege events manager, mentioned that over 300 ushers have been hired to handle security-related complaints from revelers. He also revealed that they have deployed vigilantes to report any suspicious activities to security personnel during the festival.
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