Kalangala Police has cancelled the implementation of community policing and crime prevention program because of lack of fuel resulting from funding shortfalls. Kalangala district is composed of 84 Islands, which are located far away from each other. As a result, police decided to conduct community policing programs to prevent crime and maintain security on the Islands.
Kampala police headquarters provides them about 500 liters of fuel, which is used to fuel patrol pickups and motorcycles to facilitate transport to the Islands. Godfrey Matte, Kalangala district police commander says that the fuel provided by police headquarters only lasts for 10 days.
Matte says that as a result, they have decided to stop the community policing program. He however, explains that the suspension of the community policing program has given rise to crime and mob justice on Nkese, Maziinga, Nkose and Jaana islands. These islands are located about 100 KM deep inside Lake Victoria.
Despite not knowing the exact number of cases of mob justice that have occurred since the beginning of this month, Matte says that intelligence reports show that fishermen are living in constant fear of attacks. He says they need about 4000 liters of both diesel and patrol to resume police operations.
// Cue in: “ I need over 4000………”
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Nkangi Ssekweyama, a fisherman from Bubeke island which is about 60km from Bugala island, claims that fishermen and suspects now foot their transport to the central police in Kalangala. He says that two cops deployed on the Island are not facilitated.
Ssekweyama claims that when his lost his fishnets two months ago, he was forced to spend shillings 50,000 to have the suspects arrested. He says that he also had to spend about 100000shillings to transfer the suspect to Kalangala.
Ssekweyama asks Kale Kayihura, the police boss to deploy more policemen on the Island but facilitate them to carry on with their work to curb crime. Wilber Kakooza, Kyamusswa Sub County LC V councilor says as a result of poor facilitation, police has failed to investigate the deadly clashes that led to the death of a resident and a church and shrine set ablaze last week.
Kakooza says police has even failed to convene a security meeting at Nakibanga village to sensitize the fishermen on community policing. Police headquarters has not yet responded to the cries of Kalangala police. Judith Nabakooba, Deputy Police Spokesperson declined to speak saying she was attending another meeting in Kampala.
