Prison staff trained in managing violent extremism inmates

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | 400 Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) staff have been trained in managing violent extremism inmates. The Prison warders, wardresses and station commanders were trained alongside 50 staff of the Ministry of Internal Affairs as part of the program to equip security personnel with sufficient knowledge to deal with violent extremism.

Uganda National Counter-Terrorism Centre alongside the United Nations Officer of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have embarked on training stakeholders in the security sector to fight against violent extremism.

Head of UNODC, Sharon Lesa Nyambe, highlighted the organization’s collaborative efforts with member states to promote peace and security. “In Uganda, we are privileged, through the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Counterterrorism Centre to have worked collectively on a project entitled strengthening efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism while safeguarding human rights standards,” Nyambe said.

However, Ugandan security agencies have been cautioned against abusing human rights in the guise of fighting terrorism. Security agencies are known for sometimes applying excessive force to extract information from suspects of terrorism.

Some suspects get killed during investigations or appear in courts of law with physical torture marks and injuries. When Gen Katumba Wamala was attacked by suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) on June 01, 2021, the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force (JATT) shot and killed at least four suspects. These included Hussein Lubwama, Mustafa Kawawa, and Juma Said Seiko never reached court as their lives were exterminated during investigations.

In the murder of former Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Andrew Felix Kaweesi, most of the suspects were severely tortured something that forced judges to declare the evidence collected null and void. As a result, the successful prosecution of AIGP Kaweesi killers has been in suspense for now seven years.

Nyambe and the UNODC team donated items that will facilitate and enhance coordination, spearheaded by the National Counter-Terrorism Centre and ensure the dissemination of information, training, and building capacity in having a basic understanding of key drivers and pull factors associated with violent extremism.

According to Lt Gen Joseph Musanyufu, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, said that it is a great experience to collaborate with the UNODC. Lt Gen Musanyufu added that Uganda forces involved in fighting violent extremism were grateful for the support from partners, including the European Union.

He added that the fight against transnational threats is a global effort, requiring collective action saying. “This fight is not an individual country fight. It’s an international fight, and we do appreciate that support,” Lt Gen Musanyufu said.

Brig Gen Dominic Twesigomwe, the commandant of JATT and also head of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, said the counterterrorism centre composed of ministries, departments and agencies, civil society organizations, and non-governmental organizations, coordinates counterterrorism activities at the national level, regional and international levels.

“As National Counter-Terrorism, we are majorly trying to balance the kinetic means and the soft approach. But our strategy for National Counter-Terrorism and violent extremism, we normally put their human rights that as we are fighting terrorism, we hinge on human rights,” Brig Gen Twesigomwe said.

The National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Uganda has led various initiatives to combat terrorism. These efforts focused on four key areas: enhancing coordination, strategic communication, preventing and countering violent extremism (PCVE), and collaboration with key stakeholders.

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