Uganda, Rwanda Police chiefs discuss border security

By Isaac Nuwagaba       
 
The Ugandan and Rwandan Police Chiefs have resolved to crack down on criminals along the border area.

This follows a meeting that was held at White Horse Inn in Kabale on Sunday. The Rwanda National Police delegation was led by Emmanuel Gasana and the Uganda delegation by Lt. General Kale Kayihura, the inspector General of Police.

The meeting was aimed at ensuring security and fighting transnational crime by enhancing cooperation to fight crime,
disaster management, cybercrime, trafficking of human beings and terrorism among other crimes.

It also reviewed the implementation of an earlier Memorandum of Understanding between the two police institutions and the follow up of the recommendations of the Chiefs of Police meeting held in May 2012 in Kampala and the security steering committee meeting that was held in Musanze, in Rwanda from 16th to 17th August 2012.

The IGP Kale Kayihura said insecurity at the border had increased, citing the recent killing of a prominent Ugandan moneychanger at Katuna border. They police chiefs proposed joint operations through regional coordination to crack down on criminals.

“The freedom for criminals to move and act is completely reduced and criminals should not look at Uganda or Rwanda as a safe haven for their operations,” Kayihura warned.

Emmanuel Gasana, the Inspector General Rwanda National Police assured people in Rwanda and Uganda that the police force in Rwanda is committed to sharing information and would help in curbing crime in the border region.

Gasana said they would develop rapid reactions to deal with any criminal act taking place cross-borders between Uganda and Rwanda. The meeting resolved that the two countries would jointly develop capacity building for training of sniffer dogs and deployment of canine units along the borders.