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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda police force has procured more than 100 Patrol Land Cruisers and Ambulances for 2021 elections period.
Out of the more than 100 vehicles, 10 are ambulances which are going to be deployed on highways and other political hot spots as earlier explained by, AIGP Dr. Moses Byaruhanga, who is the director police medical services.
Dr. Byaruhanga earlier told Uganda Radio Network -URN in an interview that as the directorate of health services, they were authorised to purchase eight new ambulances for elections alongside two others that had earlier been ordered to be bought purposely to support in responding to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) emergencies.
Police’s Policy Advisory Committee – PAC in August this year passed the procurement of ambulances to help in transporting people who would sustain injuries at rallies, on highways while going to and from campaign venues including those that would collapse during massive political rallies.
“Particularly for this general elections police procured eight new ambulances. These ambulances are deployed on highways to ferry victims of accidents, people who have been injured,” said Dr. Byaruhanga.
Unlike the ambulances that are parked at Naguru police headquarters, some of the patrol vehicles, Armored Personnel Carriers- APCs, teargas trucks and troop carriers have reportedly been deployed to various upcountry places.
These, according to a policeman at police headquarters are being used in policing the ongoing presidential campaigns while other patrols are still being fixed with canopies at the force’s workshop in Namanve Industrial Park. Police sources said the new fleet will majorly be deployed in areas regarded as hot spots which include Kampala, Mbale, Arua, Sembabule, Ntungamo, Mityana and Masaka.
“Many of the patrols you have seen being used in policing presidential campaigns are part of the new ones that have been purchased. 20 patrols and 10 APCs have been deployed in Kampala metropolitan. Areas where more patrols and APCs have been deployed are known for being chaotic during elections,” a policeman at Naguru told URN.
URN was yet to establish the number of teargas canisters and firearms procured for this elections period. However, a police source said the Inspector General of Police, Martin Okoth Ochola, is expected to address the media this week to explain police’s overall plan for the 2021 general elections.
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