Africa-Press – Uganda. The construction of new police posts and accommodation facilities in Karamoja Sub-region are poised to improve security.
The continued cattle raids and killings have undermined peace in the sub-region and the neighbouring communities such as Teso and Sebei .
The seven police posts have been built in the hotspots and routes used by cattle rustlers. The Shs5.4b project, according to the security officials, is aimed at containing criminal activities.
The beneficiaries include Abim (Obulokome Town Council), Kotido (Nakapelimoru Sub-county), Moroto (Nakiloro Sub-county), and Nakapiripirit (Namalu Sub-county).
Other districts are Napak (Apeitolim Sub-county), Kaabong (Alakas Sub-county) and Karenga (Lokori Sub-county).
The project is spearheaded by Development Initiative for Northern Uganda (DINU) with funding from European Union.
Mr Dauda Hiringa, the Regional Police Commander of Kidepo region, says the posts will improve efficiency.
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“We will be able to put checkpoints and respond to insecurity incidents quickly. So we are going to have a big change as far as security is concerned,” Mr Hiringa said.
The DINU programme engineer, Mr Eliseo Oyoo, said insecurity slowed the works, which started in September 2021. “Because of insecurity, the contractors did not meet the deadline but so far the progress is about 85 percent on average,” he said, adding that they will be ready to hand over the project at the end of the month.
Mr Oyoo made the remarks during a monitoring visit in Obulokome Town Council in Abim District and Kakapelemom in Kotido District at the weekend.
He said other facilities include boreholes, furniture, solar, and motorcycles.
Mr Silvester Omara, the chairperson of the implementation committee of Obulokome Police Post, said: “We have been here without a law enforcement body and the situation has been very bad because this is the passage for the cattle rustlers to Teso and Lango.”
Mr Denis Okuda, a resident, said insecurity has undermined development.
“We now face food insecurity because people don’t work due to insecurity. We are happy and we hope sanity will prevail,” he said.
The senior police commissioner, Mr Timothy Halango, who is also the deputy director of Research, Planning and Development, said of the 112 sub-counties in Karamoja, police presence is in 71. “The 41 locations are without police posts. The impediment is lack of infrastructure, manpower and supporting services,” he said.
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