Traffic officers paired with armed FFU personnel

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The police in Kampala Metropolitan has started deploying its traffic officers alongside armed Field Forces Unit-FFU personnel.

Police through deputy Kampala Metropolitan Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire, said the deployment of traffic officers alongside armed colleagues is in response to President Yoweri Museveni’s directive during the State of Nation address last week.

Speaking about the shooting of Gen Katumba at Kisota road on June 1st, Museveni said one of the traffic officers saw the assailants but he could not pursue them since he was not armed. The traffic man was standing at Bukoto-Kisota road junction.

Gen Katumba’s car was riddled with bullets between 8:47 am and 9 am, an incident that left his daughter, Brenda Nantongo and driver Haruna Kayondo killed. Museveni said traffic officers were to be armed so that they could be able to help in case of incidents similar to Gen Katumba’s happen in their vicinity.

A visit to various major road junctions in Kampala revealed heightened security for traffic officers as they were paired alongside armed FFU officers. Traffic officers at Shoprite and Clock Tower traffic lights were having armed FFU officers standing sideways or just behind them but at a close distance.

Owoyesigyire further elaborated that giving guns to traffic officers would inconvenience them while executing their duties, a reason they have instead resolved to attach armed police officers purposely to protect their colleagues.

“We have today enforced the directive issued by H.E of deploying all our traffic officers alongside armed personnel at different junctions in Kampala metropolitan area. Of course, this will be done all over the country but we deployed at all junctions in a way to strengthen the security on our traffic personnel and strengthen the security in communities in case there is a need to respond to an emergency,” Owoyesigyire said.

Gen Katumba attackers allegedly stopped near a traffic policeman and asked him where the shooters had gone. The traffic policeman first thought they were security operatives. By the time he became suspicious, the assailants on motorcycles had taken to various directions.

Deputy Inspector General of Police, Maj Gen Paul Lokech said Gen Katumba assassins spent over 55 minutes in the area. Lokech said if police officers in the CCTV command centre and those who responded first to the scene communicated swiftly, the attackers could have been cornered.

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