Security agencies identify 2000 spots for upcountry CCTV installations

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The police have identified 2,319 spots where Closed Circuit Television –CCTV security cameras will be installed in upcountry areas. The spots are based on findings of a survey undertaken by the police and sister security agencies in September, to identify crime and traffic spots along major highways and town centres.

Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga says that a team has since come up with the spots that will be covered by the second phase of CCTV installations, covering 144 municipalities among others Masaka, Kabale, Mityana, Mubende, Mbale and Hoima, as well as town councils and border points such as Katuna, Malaba, Nimule and Elegu.

Enanga said the second phase whose installation process has started, will ensure 107 major district and division police stations are captured to serve as monitoring centres.

Police said that the technical team, together with the contractors will work on the transmission backbone of the National Information Technology Authority Uganda –NITAU to erect the surveillance cameras in identified sites.

Barely two months ago, President Yoweri Museveni, while opening the National CCTV Command Centre, said that the second phase would ensure digital recognition of vehicles, motorcycles in a bid to reduce criminality executed using such means.

Museveni said he seconded the idea of using digital means to fight crime because investigations based on who had seen who were derailing investigations especially in the back to back assassination of prominent Muslim clerics and security officers.

At least 20 muslim clerics, security officers and a prosecutor, among others, Sheikh Hassan Kirya, Sheikh Mustafa Bayiga, Joan Kagezi, Maj Muhammad Kiggundu, AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi and ASP Muhammad Kirumira were shot dead between 2012 and 2018.

For places that are not yet covered by NITAU, the technical team will use standalone networks to ensure that all upcountry places are connected to the National CCTV Command Centre. Museveni commissioned the National CCTV Command Centre on November 28 last year.

Police have so far recruited 100 junior and senior officers to operate the National CCTV Command Centre based at Naguru police headquarters. These include 45 senior officers ranging from the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police –ASP and Senior Commissioner of Police –SCP.

National CCTV Command Centre also houses teams from critical security agencies such as Internal Security Organisation –ISO, External Security Organisation –ESO and Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence –CMI.

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