KAMPALA – The security agencies have failed to keep law and order because they are mainly focused on sustaining the regime in power, a Member of Parliament has said.
According to Butambala County, MP Muwanga Kivumbi, with Uganda currently not fighting any external war, the army and the police should be able to deal with rising cases of armed robberies. However, he said this is not the case because the security agencies are paying attention to politics.
“Security is a service that has outputs. Its outputs are manifested by indicators every other period. We’re not fighting any wars within our borders. The army that is mandated to maintain our sovereignty is at home. Internal security could easily be addressed, the country would begin to see dividends of peace. What is happening is clearly showing that our apparatus has failed,” Mr Kivumbi said.
“I don’t think the forum of parliament will be the one to make these people accountable. Here’s what is wrong with our security apparatus; you’ve built a politically oriented security apparatus. They have one single aim, regime patrol. When it comes to political manoeuvre, you’ll see their true colours,” he added.
The MP’s remarks come on the backdrop of rising cases of armed robberies in the country. In June, several mobile money agents were killed by armed robbers, including a raid on a hardware store in Nansana Municipality where three people were shot dead.
Mr Kivumbi said that the security agencies are well trained to handle such security threats but they are not focused.
“We have well-trained police officers, however, they’re being funded to do political work. Resident District Commissioners that head security are simply politicking. The DPC of any district in Uganda has a vehicle and UGX900,000 to patrol for a month. How do they use it? They end up politicking. Our security money is used for political gains and this is doing us badly,” he added.
However, Ms Lydia Wanyoto, a member of the East African Legislative Assembly, said security is a collective responsibility.
“Yesterday, we lost a life. You can clearly see how people handle issues. No life should be lost in whatever circumstance or taken in such a manner. Security is a national matter. We should be concerned about it but to say that the government isn’t doing enough is what I don’t agree with. This is a collective effort. We should mount pressure at every level to make sure we have the accountability of where the lapses are in security,” she said.
“Beyond budget allocations, what more can the security organisations do? If they’ve saved 200 lives but lost one, let them account for that one life. We hope that they go case by case so that we cover up all those lapses. About the technology, how many people have the competence to interpret the CCTV cameras?” She added.
The two MPs made the remarks while appearing on NBS TV on Wednesday morning.
Their remarks came after Aine Mugisha, a businessman was gunned down by a security guard at Quality Shopping Mall in Naalya, Kampala, following a disagreement that is a subject of police investigation.
