Uganda – The Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura has highlighted the need to harmonise programs of the different regional and continental police forces as well as international forces to avoid contradictions and ensure meaningful efforts to fight crime.
This was during the meeting of the 35th Permanent Coordination Committee of the East African Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO) at Speke Resort Munyonyo.
Kayihura said since the African Police Organisation (AFRIPOL) was launched, there is need for EAPCCO members to revisit the constitution so as to re-align their operations with the programs under Afripol.
“Afripol is a formation of the African Union. All regional forces which are implementing organs of AFRIPOL must now go back to the drawing board and see what needs to be adjusted within the constitution to align it with this new initiative,” Kayihura said.
“I would like that Africa picks it up because it is in our interest; all initiatives are geared towards building strength to combat crime at national and trans-national level,” Kaihura noted.
He called upon the meeting to come up with a mechanism on how to integrate all initiatives through building synergies.
“I reassure Interpol that we are not creating a rival party. Interpol should be the first to welcome this as a way of fighting global crime.”
He gave an example of the illegal migration of Africans to Europe, “How are we going to fight it if we don’t coordinate at continental level, because it is our citizens who are being trafficked to Europe and hence destabilizing the World order”.
Kayihura observed that there is need to embrace all these efforts as a way of denying criminals a chance to succeed in their undertakings.
