Police in Kampala have rolled out a campaign to educate people, especially those in the central business district, about the need to be vigilant in the face of rising terror attacks.
Led by Mr Ben Mubangizi, the deputy commander for Kampala Metropolitan area, the police officers visited various bus and taxi parks in downtown Kampala, and explained to people the need to observe security guidelines.
Using a mega phone, the police officers moved across streets, parks and trading areas, emphasising the security guidelines that include checking of passengers and their luggage using metal detectors, looking out for suspicious abandoned objects and reporting to the authorities, and installing CCTV cameras, if possible.
Other guidelines include enhancement of security at entrances and exits of parks and shopping arcades, shutting doors and windows of parked buses and taxis, and respecting all the Covid-19 standard operating procedures .
The half day sensitisation campaign kicked off at former Pioneer mall, moved to Mutaasa Kafeero on Luwum Street to the New Taxi Park, Kikuubo area, Link Bus Park, and ended at the taxi park in Kisenyi.
The campaign came a day after a bomb explosion on a bus belonging to Swift Safaris Coaches claimed the life of one person. The incident occurred at Lungala in Mpigi District on the Kampala-Masaka highway.
Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said police officers will be carrying out spot checks on the crowded places in the city to ensure compliance to the security guidelines.
“It is a wakeup call for all of us to take security matters very important, especially the transport service providers and arcade owners,” Mr Owoyesigyire said.
Mr Mubangizi said the sensitisation campaign will be conducted twice a week and this will be followed by security meetings with all transport service providers and arcade owners.
Bus owners and managers called for more public sensitisation campaigns in the fight against terror.
Mr Umar Deco Ddungu, the director of Swift Safaris Coaches, blamed the incident on laxity of security at the bus park. He said they would provide metal detectors for all their buses in transit. “They normally used their hands to search people and their property along the way. We are now trying to make sure each bus moves with a metal detector,” Mr Ddungu said.
