Kisumu,21/09/07
 
UGANDA TRAINS A SPECIAL POLICE FORCE TO COUNTER TERRORISM DURING COMMONWEALTH SUMMIT IN KAMPALA

By Leo Odera Omolo

As part of the preparation for the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Summit scheduled for November, Ugandan government has trained a special police force to counter terrorism during the meeting.

A close to 1,073 special police constables were recently passed out after six weeks of of intense training at the hands of Nothern Korea instructors. The rigorous training took place at the Masindi Police Training School, Kabulye.

They will be deployed in Kampala City and Central Police region to man road junctions.

"The main elements are detection and prevention of any suspected terrorist who might be tempted to sneak in for the purpose of terrorizing the foreign dignitaries expected at the weeklong conference. The most vulnerable time for motorists is at the road junction that is why we must dominate all of them", said the country Police Chief Maj Gen Kale Kayehura while officiating during the passing of the force.

The Police Chief however pointed out that initially it was hard for the police to implement that decision because of the small number of the police force.

To man road junctions in the capital city of Kampala along said Kayihura needed about 1000 uniformed police personnel and half that number of undercover agents

The force will also curb petty crimes "so these Kanyamas (men with big muscles) who have been mistreating our people I have now put them on notice. Kampala will now put them on notice. Kampala will be no go area for them. May be they can go to Iraq" said Kayihura.

The Ugandan Minister for Internal Affairs Matia Kasiaja challenged the newly trained officers to execute their duties professionally.

Meanwhile Uganda's Parliament is to suspend plenary session to pave the way for the renovation of the chambers in preparation for the CHOGM summit slated for November.

Peter Nyombi, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on legal affairs and Parliamentary affairs was yesterday quoted by FM radio station as saying that the decision was taken by the House business committee last week.

Mr. Nyombi disclosed that a team from the Commonwealth Secretariat in London visited Uganda last week and toured the chambers on an inspection mission last week established that they were below the minimum standards.

The speaker of Parliament Edward Ssekeadi chairs the team. Other members included the Prime Minister, Government Chief Whip and the leader of the official opposition in Parliament.

Mr. Nyombi said the renovation work would take three weeks and Parliament would resume in the first week of November. The renovation work on the chamber is estimated to consume colossal amount of money to be ug.shs 2.3 million

Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com