With the general elections just a week away, the police say the terror threat to Uganda is still very much alive.
Abbas Byakagaba, the police Director of Anti-Terrorism, says a warning issued by the Inspector General of Police about a possible terrorist attack holds today. He says available intelligence is that terror groups intend to take advantage of the busy political season to launch an assault of the country.
The threat is reportedly from Al Qaeda and the Somali-based Al Shabab.
Byakagaba says the police have put in place measures to deter attacks, but urges the public to stay alert in the run up to next week's polls. He encourages people to use neighborhood watch schemes to report any unusual or suspicious incidents.
Uganda has been on a high terrorism alert since March last year when two bombs blew up in Kampala, killing more than 70 people and wounding hundreds others.
Several foreign embassies have this week sent terrorism warnings to their nationals in Uganda. A memo from the Belgian Embassy, for instance, promises swift evacuation of its nationals in the event of an attack or widespread civilian violence.
An announcement from the U.S. Embassy to its citizens urges them to exercise caution during the election season. It says that although there are no indications of violence during the elections, people should remain abreast of the security situation to avoid being caught up in clashes.
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