Police Commanders Asked to Avail Telephone Contacts as Onyango Survives ‘Criminals’

Police has asked all territorial commanders including the Regional and District Police Commanders as well as Officers in charge of stations (O.Cs) to avail their telephone contacts to members of the public.

It follows an incident in which the deputy spokesperson for Police, SP Patrick Onyango survived what are suspected to have been criminals. Police said on Friday that elements riding boda bodas were allegedly trailing Onyango while he was driving home.

The incident occurred Thursday night at around 9:30pm.

“He [Onyango] suspected that the Boda Boda riders were probably following him with possibly a bad motive,” a statement issued by Police spokesperson, SSP Emilian Kayima read.

The statement adds that having been suspicious of the motive of the riders who were trailing his car, Onyango “took action by changing strategy of his movement”.

“He called upon the local Police to intervene which was done immediately”.

The Police officer was then escorted home. Police has rubbished reports circulated on social media that Onyango sustained injuries from the incident.

It is against this background that Police commanders at the different levels have been reminded of a directive recently made by President Yoweri Museveni to make their Police telephone contacts known to the local residents.

In one of his recent addresses to the nation on issues regarding security, President Museveni said that in order to make the response of Police to crime more effective, there was need for the locals to have such contacts.

“Each Police Station or Post should have a telephone number that is known to the public in the area, that every member of the public with a phone can ring when he/she sees anything suspicious,” the President said weeks ago.

He said these numbers should not be private ones but rather a local equivalent of the 999 Police helpline.

Now, the Police Spokesperson has said that; “Territorial commanders (RPCs, DPCs and OC Stations) are reminded to share their contacts with the nenbersbof the public in their areas of responsibility”.

“Equally, members of the public are advised to have these numbers, share them with the family members and always make use if them to report cases to the Police for quick action to be taken,” Kayima added.

Following the Onyango incident, Police has also reminded the public to be vigilant and alert, and to report such suspicious characters to the nearest Police facility for appropriate action.

Most of the recent assassinations of high profile individuals in Uganda have been carried out by armed assassins riding on boda bodas. The most recent of such killings is that of outspoken Police officer, ASP Muhammad Kirumira. Former Police spokesperson, AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi was also gunned down by criminals who trailed his car using boda bodas.