Kayihura wants database for crime suspects, foreigners

Mr John Besiga, the chairperson of people with disabilities in Mbarara, told the meeting that the LCs have lost morale in carrying out their mandate and have instead turned their offices into businesses to the extent of facilitating crime.

MBARARA. The Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura, has said security agencies must develop a watch list for suspected criminals and foreigners as one of the measures to check insecurity and infiltration of the country by terrorists.

Gen Kayihura said this last Saturday while launching the community policing programme for Mbarara District at Mbarara High School.

“We want security agencies in collaboration with local councils to develop a watch list of whoever has ever been reported to police for crime, detained, remanded and former convicts as well as foreigners,” he said.
Giving an example of criminals who have been terrorising Busoga sub-region, Gen Kayihura said most of them are either former convicts or had jumped bail.

The IGP said foreigners should also be put on this watch list, claiming there are several Interahamwe (group who committed the 1994 genocide in Rwanda) hiding in western Uganda that could have otherwise been detected if there was a checklist with records of their conduct in their countries of origin.
“Interpol always gives certificates of good conduct to our people going to some countries because it is a requirement. However, in Uganda everyone comes and stays without having his record of conduct in his country of origin. This weakness has to stop,” Gen Kayihura said.
He said the watch list will be shared between security agencies in regions and national security councils to monitor activities of such people.

The IGP said the failure to restore the village council system has created a gap for crime to thrive. “We need to go back to the LCI system. When we came from the bush (1986), the LCs could register residents, demand identification from visitors and foreigners and monitor security of their people. But the LC of today has been reduced to only carrying stamps,” Gen Kayihura said.
Earlier, during a stakeholders’ meeting with Electoral Commission officials at Oxford Hotel, Mbarara, opinion leaders asked the body to quickly organise LC1 and LC2 elections saying the current leadership is wanting and are facilitating crime.

Mr John Besiga, the chairperson of people with disabilities in Mbarara, told the meeting that the LCs have lost morale in carrying out their mandate and have instead turned their offices into businesses to the extent of facilitating crime