Mbale security blamed for being sloppy towards crime response

Mbale, (UG):- The residents of Northern City Division, in Mbale City, have blamed security agencies for the surging terror attacks in the area by panga-wielding thugs, because of their sloppiness in responding to incident reports.

This follows a spate of attacks which have left a number of people injured or dead and properties damaged or lost.

The outcry was made by Hon. Robert Kisesi, the Councilor representing the people of North-Central Ward, during a phone interview with this reporter on Wednesday, 1st May 2024.

Hon. Kisesi said, “The ongoing attacks have been going on for some time and there is no sign of them ending soon because of security gaps, where the police response to reports, has not been convincing in most cases”.

Adding to Hon. Kisesi’s outcry, a number of social media pages for news updates in Mbale like What’s Up Mbale, INGO LIVE and Bugisu Intellectual Forum, were over the past days awash, with messages calling on local authorities and security organs to urgently respond to the people’s cry to prevent further loss of lives and property.

A concerned resident who identified himself as, Uncle Freddie Omutuze we Namakwekwe, posted on the Facebook page of What’s Up Mbale, “It is distressing to note that these gang attacks are becoming increasingly brutal and frequent, targeting vulnerable individuals and even groups.”

“The criminals appear to be operating with impunity, confident that they can escape the reach of the law. This situation demands urgent action from the security agencies to restore law and order and safeguard the lives and well-being of the citizens,” added the resident.

“The citizens of Mbale City deserve to live in a safe and secure environment. I strongly urge the security agencies to prioritize this matter, devote the necessary resources, and act swiftly to bring an end to these gang attacks. It is only through your collective efforts that we can restore peace and protect the lives and property of our fellow citizens”.

The most recent incident involved the attack on Sam Bukuwa a resident of Namakwekwe estate, who sustained body injuries inflicted by the panga-wielding thugs as he returned home over the weekend. This occurred just days after, Mr Omulala Gabriel, a Lecturer at Kumi University was murdered and his belongings taken early morning at Nabuyonga Rise while going to take a taxi to work.

According to Kisesi, the above incidents are just the tip of the iceberg of what is going on in the different parts of the City.

“Those who have been spared from being injured or murdered are those who have voluntarily surrendered money and properties in their possession to the thugs,” he said, before citing an example of Mr Mugwagi Abdul a businessman dealing in the sand for construction on Kampala Road, who survived being hacked, after he surrendered money to his attackers, early morning while going to pay his suppliers”.

Kisesi also questioned the purpose of the Police Flying Squad in the City which he says has to be vigilant in the night but it is not the case here. He blamed the police’s sloppiness in response to crime reports, on bureaucracy where a number of offices have to approve of an operation. He says that in this precarious situation, “If the current force is not efficient let it be disbanded or beefed up and its facilitation improved”.

SP Rogers Taitika, the Elgon Region Police Spokesperson in a brief interview with DailyExpress today (Thursday) said; “The forces are managing the situation”.

Adding to SP Taitika’s voice, Mr Yahaya Were, the Deputy RCC Northern Division also confirmed that authorities in the eastern city are aware of the situation and are handling the matter with security units.

“We are handling, and a security meeting was held yesterday where a committee has been constituted to work on the ground,” Mr Were remarked, adding that “names of key suspects have been listed and concerned parties are on the ground to apprehend the culprits.”