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EDITORIAL
Some Kampala suburbs are slowly degenerating into crime
zones under our noses.
The areas of Ntinda, Kisaasi, Najera and Naalya, among
others, are worst hit. Residents of these areas have for
long complained of unexplained murders, robberies, mugging,
pick-pocketing, rape and burglary, but the status quo persists
unabated.
In fact, the Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Kale
Kayihura, was last month forced to visit these areas and
get first hand reports about the situation.
It appears that after going underground in the face of the
‘Operation Wembley’ clamp down a couple of years
ago, criminal gangs are now regrouping in the city suburbs,
which are hardly patrolled by security personnel.
Uganda, with a population of 29 million, has about 18,000
Police officers. That translates into one Police officer
for every 2,000 people. The internationally recommended
standard is one Police officer for every 500 people!
Besides, even the few available are not adequately equipped,
let alone motivated, to keep law and order. Matters are
not helped by the chaotic residential housing arrangement
in Kampala and surrounding areas. Most of the roads are
neither named nor mapped. Finding one’s way to someone’s
home in some of Kampala’s suburbs is a nightmare.
Thus in the event of a robbery, burglary, or even fire,
calling Police 999 Patrol [or fire brigade] is almost useless
as by the time they find the home, it will be too late!
The lack of national identity cards also makes community
policing and general clamp down on crime more difficult.
As a result, the authorities in these areas have no idea
who the residents of their localities are, and what they
do for a living!
Compared to Nairobi, for instance, Kampala has a reputation
as a secure, peaceful city, an image good for the promotion
of tourism and foreign investment, among other benefits.
Government must stop this crime wave; first of all to guard
the life and property of its citizens, but also to keep
the positive image of Kampala intact. Otherwise Kampala
could be blacklisted as an unsafe city to live in and do
business.
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