LCs unhappy with tactics being employed by Masaka security

Masaka, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Village council leaders in Masaka have cautioned security organs against ordinary deployment which they say cannot effectively help in capturing the criminals who are terrorizing the area.

Communities in the districts of Lwengo, Bukomansimbi and Masaka city are currently leaving in fear over a new spate of killings by unknown assailants who raid villages in the night.

Despite intensified joint security deployments that involve night patrols that are aimed at securing the area, the village council leaders in the affected communities are not pleased with the way the security personnel are responding to the situation.

Ronald Kateregga, the chairperson of Kingo Cell in Kiteredde ward, Kimannya-Kabonera division who is one of the survivors of the attacks prefers that security concentrates much on covert deployments which says is the best option towards apprehending the criminals to reveal their intentions.

According to Kateregga, the Police ‘s approach is too reactionary, which largely helps to scare away the criminals but does not provide a solution to the problem.

Kateregga challenges security organs to carry out secret deployments in the identified hotspots such that they can arrest the assailants, such that their evil executions are completely stopped.

Retired Captain Gerald Kayemba, the Chairperson of Luteete Cell in Kabonera ward, argues that this appears to be a different form of criminality that cannot effectively be addressed by the ordinary response approaches.

He suspects that the criminal gang could be operating with an established network in the area, which requires security to operate with unique methods to overwhelm the assailants but most importantly to have them arrested.

Moses Katongole and Francis Mawanda the Chairpersons of Kitambuza and Kyabukuza cells respectively have also asked the security organs to attach armed personnel to local council security councils during their night operations such that they can provide timely responses whenever the incidents are reported.

Mawanda has also asked police to work out an emergency budget that can facilitate village defence committees during their night operations as a support security measure.

John Nkore, the Greater Masaka Regional Police Commander says that security agencies will corroborate with all stakeholders including the local council structures to ensure that their situation is contained.

He however instructed the village council leaders to compile registers of all residents in the area and increase their level of vigilance as a way of identifying suspicious groups that may be hiding within the community.

A total of 32 people according to Police records have been murdered in the space of five weeks and another 13 are nursing injuries.

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