Kawempe residents accuse police officers of carrying guns to bars, criminal activity

This allegation was aired during a security meeting convened by the Kira-Road Division Police Commander Geoffrey Ssebuyungo in Kikulu Zone.

Without naming or shaming, several residents accused police officers, led by ASP Ian Natukunda, of carrying firearms to places of leisure and using these arms to threaten revelers.

This meeting arose out of repeated complaints by residents of increased burglaries and machete attacks by gangs from Kyebando, Kisalosalo, Nsoba, and Kamwokya Kyamuka zones targeting travellers on the Northern bypass.

Ismail Bukenya, the LC I chairperson of Kikikulu zone, informed the Division Police Commissioner (DPC) that his officers have taken their eyes off the ball when it comes to carrying out routine night operations to eliminate the emerging criminal gangs.

Instead, Bukenya alleges, they are often found drunk with their guns in bars with muzzles directed at unarmed civilians.

“Mr DPC, we have groups of thugs that are terrorising us almost every two weeks, but some of the area officers you gave us are drunk 24 hours, I will not mention anyone but give us your contacts we shall be sending their pictures, once you talk to them as a leader, they threaten you. What should we do?" Bukenya asked.

Raymond Kagga, the area defence secretary, said indisciplined police officers, frequently indolent and intoxicated, stand rather stagger, in the way of effective community policing.

“We don’t have information flow between our people and the police because our people look at police officers as their enemies. How you can deal with someone who is found fighting in bars or threatening people?" Kagga asked.

It was also made known, in the same meeting, that criminal gangs rampage the area with sharp knives, stones, and pavers to stage attacks in spots enshrouded by darkness.

As a remedial measure, the security meeting resolved to suspend the operation of all bars beyond midnight as Kagga pledged to tighten security in the area.

Notwithstanding the foregoing comments about the police’s complicity, deliberate or accidental, in criminal activity, the DPC urged the local leaders and the residents to embrace community policing.

He also promised to carry out investigations into the allegations against his officers before making any changes in deployments.