“A few weeks ago, I saw in the papers and somebody said that the fate of the crime preventers is to be decided by the new Inspector General of Police. I called the IGP and told him that this will be handled” he said as he received cheers from the gathering.

The President made the remarks this afternoon while addressing a delegation of over 3,000 crime preventers’ co-ordinators from all regions of Uganda at Lugogo Indoor Stadium in Kampala.

Tumwine, Museveni, Blaise and Muzeei during the meeting

President Museveni disclosed to the attentive assembly that the strategy of the programme was that of the National Resistance Army (NRA), used during the people’s protracted liberation struggle. He added that Gen. Kale Kayihura/s role was to diligently implement the programme as he was a very loyal cadre and highly commended the former IGP for overseeing the programme to its fruition.

Kale Kayihura was a loyal cadre who actively implemented it. Therefore, I want to salute Gen. Kale Kayihura for actively implementing the programme. I now regard you as a Reserve Army of the UPDF,” he said.

President Museveni further explained that during the bush days, NRA had layers of organisation that included, among others, militias who would guard villages. He, therefore, urged the administration of crime preventers to establish and consolidate village coordinators in order to effectively combat crime as crime is rampant in villages and perpetrators can easily be identified.

Mr. Museveni encouraged crime preventers to also be exemplary actors in poverty eradication in their areas to the level of becoming role model farmers. He advised the leadership of the Uganda Police to work jointly with Operation Wealth Creation to identify crime preventers per parish to be aided.

“Crime preventers should lead in the revolution of being crime preventers and wealth creators. You should work with OWC to single out those who can become model farmers so that they do not only get out of poverty but also become examples,” he counselled.

President Museveni informed the assembly of crime preventers the sectors of wealth creation that they should sensitize the youth about in their areas. The sectors include modern commercial agriculture with calculation, industry, services and Information Communication Technology (ICT) for Business Process Out-Sourcing.

The President expressed gratitude to learn that crime preventers have formed and decentralized their SACCOs, which he pledged to support come next financial year of 2018/2019.

he President expressed gratitude to learn that crime preventers have formed and decentralized their SACCOs, which he pledged to support come next financial year of 2018/2019.

The Minister for Security, Gen. Elly Tumwine, advised crime preventers to be disciplined and organised so as to effectively combat crime and corruption in the country. He said the NRM revolution was founded and built along the same lines under the able leadership of President Museveni. He noted that a new generation has now emerged to continue with the struggle and will certainly deal with the vices of crime and corruption.

“The future belongs to the organised. Crime and corruption are like darkness; once torched, they will disappear and the 2 vices are in danger in Uganda,” he stressed.

The National Chairperson of Crime Preventers, Mr. Kamugisha Blaise, encouraged coordinators to continue with the noble cause of helping the Police to fight crime in order to make the country safe to live in.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Brig. Muzeyi Sabiiti, among others, attended the meeting.

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Uganda Police

Crime preventers are volunteers meant to guard against and prevent crime and should not be involved in partisan politics. These remarks were made by the Prime Minister, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda while responding to a question by Hon. Reagan Okumu (FDC, Aswa), during Prime Minister’s Time. Dr. Rugunda said, “They are not supposed to be playing partisan roles. If there are any errors committed, we shall follow them up and ensure that they are stopped.”

Okumu, a Parliamentary Commissioner, said Police crime preventers were campaigning for the ruling NRM and intimidating supporters of other parties. He added that instead of crime prevention, they were causing crime and had become partisan. Crime preventers, who are mostly youths, undergo training in community policing courses aimed at empowering them with self defense skills, ideological orientation, crime prevention and patriotism.

Similarly, while responding to a question by Mukono Municipality MP, Hon. Betty Nambooze (DP), the Prime Minister said the role of the Police is to enforce the law without discrimination. Nambooze said that Police was arresting supporters of Hon. Amama Mbabazi, who had declared his intention to run for the Presidency.

The Leader of the Opposition, Wafula Oguttu (FDC, Bukooli Central) also claimed that Police was taking sides and “pushing people who do not agree with government hard on the wall.” Quoting recent media reports, Hon. Wafula also said that Police in Soroti had been asked to register as members of the NRM.

Dr. Rugunda explained that, “The role of Police is to enforce the law irrespective of who may be affected. Police should carry out its duties and should not be discriminating against anybody but enforce the law. All of us know that the Police, just like the UPDF and civil service serve all Ugandans (and cannot register to belong to political parties). Any departure from that is wrong and disciplinary measures should be taken,” said Dr. Rugunda adding that “We have to ensure that we continue building institutions that serve all people irrespective of political affiliations.”

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elections yesterday stormed Kanara Police post in Kanara SubCounty-Kitagwenda County Kamwenge district over their delayed payments.

More than 50 crime preventers say they were duly chosen to assist police in ensuring law and order in the villages during presidential, parliamentary, and local council elections a task they fulfilled but since then they have not received their promised allowances worth Three hundred and thirty thousand (330.000) per person.

The angry crime preventers said most of them left their domestic jobs, farming, rearing of animals hoping to be paid considerable amount of money to help them in the day-today life but to their surprise their supervisors in the Police force have kept a deaf ear over the matter.

District Police Commander Johnson Kiconco Tibbs when contacted said most of the crime preventers neglected their duties after elections since in their contract they were supposed to continue working with Police.

He says they instead ran away from their working stations and were deleted them from pay roll.

Kiconco said those who persevered after elections and continued working with Police will be paid soon.

He called for patience as he is also in consultations with Police headquarters in Kampala.

By Sunday Rogers

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