Police names places with high crime rates in Kampala

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Analysis of last year’s crime report released by Uganda Police indicates places in Kampala described as dangerous to live in due to the high crime rate.

Crime records of last year as presented by director Criminal Investigations, Grace Akullo show places such as Katwe, Old Kampala, Kabalagala, Kawempe and Kasangati recorded more than 2,000 crimes in a single year.

Katwe alone registered 4,559 which was the highest number of crimes recorded by a single police station. Katwe cases include 1,189 thefts meaning three people lose property to thugs every day.

The same place recorded fifty-one murders translating to four people being murdered per month. Katwe’s crime rate is bigger than the total number of cases recorded in five districts in Busoga sub-region. For instance, the total number of crimes received in Buwenge, Bugweri, Namutumba, Namayingo and Mayuge is 3,931.

Old Kampala registered 3,157 cases which included 889 thefts, 428 cases of child violence, 100 robberies and 28 murders.

In Old Kampala, two people lose property to thugs every day while nearly two children fall victim to defilement, assault and negligence each day that passes. Most cases in Old Kampala are recorded in places such as Kasubi, Lubya, Lusaze, Masanafu and Mengo.

Other places whose crime rates shot up last year include Kawempe, Kajjansi, Kasangati and Kabalagala. These places had more than 2,000 crimes which were more than 20 percent crime increment compared to statistics of 2018.

In a media discussion after the release of the crime report, Kampala Metropolitan police commander Commissioner Moses Kafeero attributed Kasangati’s fast-rising crime rate to scattered homesteads.

Kafeero said because of big distances between homes, sometimes people make alarms when attacked by criminals but they are not heard by their neighbours. To curtail the crime in Kasangati, police have since resolved to shoot suspected criminals.

Last week police’s crime intelligence working alongside LDUs killed two suspected thugs but also arrested nine others. Last year alone, Kasangati recorded 117 housebreakings, thirty-one murders and 574 thefts.

CID boss Grace Akullo believes crime rates for this year will be much lower because of increased joint security operations and installed Closed Circuit Television –CCTV cameras. Kampala metropolitan has more than 3,321 spy cameras installed in all towns, trading centres, highways and access roads.

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