Kivumbi analysis with Press & Media.
Kivumbi Earnest Benjamin PDP National Co-dinator.
NEED TO REGULATE SECURITY ORGANS
With all efforts applied to make sure that the image of military police and other security organs is polished, it appears still before the public that this will be along term process.
Terror and intimidation by members of these security organs against individuals remains a worrying problem which must be solved.
The People’s Development Party (PDP) is concerned about the civilians who were victimized by the tortuous acts of three combat men who had come for laundry services at White Rose a laundry shop next to St Paul Book & Media Center slightly opposed Ambassador house on Kampala Rd recently.
The people who passed by- wondered whether we’re in Baghdad or Mogadishu if not in the forests of Galamba hunting for Kony!
The three militia men kept on ordering whoever passed by not to step near the Laundry shop and if you were a customer you had to make transactions from outside or never! One of them covered with open bullets allover his body, smoking and all of them in dark spectacles.
Yes, the fact that I wasn’t a customer at that time but flabbergasted by the situation forced to me cross the road and attempted to enter place to see what they would do to me and for heaven’s sake I wasn’t allowed.
The female attendant was called to come and attend to me from outside.
Swahili and little English are the languages one of them used while talking to me and because it was too much for me I went and called a police man who was passing by on the opposite side to come and witness all this terror and if need be- stop it but when I came with him, himself feared and walked away in panic.
I wasn’t contented; I walked to the Central Police Station and in room 8 -I was assured that the matter would be put to control though I insisted that they should give me Kaihura`s mobile number to report the situation for he once proposed even for arrest of Traffic officers who operate with guns-a sign of terrorizing civilians he stated.
I wrote and talked to the Army Spokes man on phone the following day, wrote to the Minister of Defense and Minister of security and notified them about the incidence and the need to regulate the activities of the members the security organs.
PDP wonders whether this is state desirable by Ugandans to be governed.
What did countries like Mauritius do enable an atmosphere that allows policemen to hold batons in public places? This is an Independent country in Africa not Switzerland a European country!
Where is the problem, is it we the civilians or?
Can’t we resolve our own problems?
A few Presidents in the East Africa region can walk on the street freely without threatening security.
It’s hard for some of them go and watch football in studious in there own countries!
Well, the Police Act and Fire Arms Act make it clear that unless otherwise an armed officer is not meant to use a gun against a criminal suspect while effecting an arrest especially when the suspect is not armed or a threat in anyway. Effecting an arrest with a fire arm against some one who is not armed with unreasonable force is totally undesirable under penal code.
We ask the authorities not to deploy heavy machinery in public unless in chaotic circumstances. In many cases security officers misuse them against civilians like how Nicholas Michunguzi did at Top Pub.
Its not too long when a taxi driver was short by an armed officer, similar offenses in Mukono where an officer killed his wife, we propose that fire arms should be deposited to custodians before them going back home to reduce cases of domestic violence that have claimed lives.
For God and My Country.
