Forget your comfort zones, new KMP boss tells officers

By Lawrence Mulondo

Newly appointed Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP) commander, Benjamin Namanya has warned police bosses in Kampala Metropolitan area to forget the comfort zone they have been working in and get to serious work.

Namanya made the remarks during a meeting with police commanders in the region at Katwe police station in Kampala Tuesday.

The meeting was organized to discuss ways of improving security in the region, and was attended by District Police Commanders (DPCs), Officers in Charge (OCs), Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers and political officers from police stations in the region.

Namanya made it clear that the Police’s mission is clear, adding that police officers should work professionally or they are to face tough punishments.

District Police Commanders (DPCs), Officers in Charge (OC) of station, Political officers and Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Officers attending a meeting called by new Kampala Metropolitan commander Benjamin Namanya at Katwe police station on 4/08/2015. Photo by Lawrence Mulondo

“I am here to put things in order; all reluctant officers will face dismissal or heavy punishments from the Police disciplinary committee,” Namanya explained.

He added that, it is high time police turn away from the old Force where officers would close offices at 5.00pm and go to bars then open them at 9.00am the next day.

Namanya explained that most of the crimes in the city are committed between 5.00am and 9.00am as these are the hours when most of the police officers are relaxed.

He urged police officers to register at least thirty crime preventers in their areas to help in improving the security of their areas.

He added that the number of officers in the country is not enough to police every person in the country.

Mutundwe police station boss, Nixon Okello, requested Namanya to operate more in the field than in the office to prevent miss communication between him, residents and his police officers which has been causing most of police’s problems for many years.

Okello explained that many officers are accused by residents and colleagues of crimes they did not commit only for police bosses to get the truth after investigating on ground.

Kampala Metropolitan community Liaison Officer Anatoli Muleterwa advised police officers to visit schools and address different issues especially school fires, health and other crimes.

He urged them to exploit both human and material resources given to them to improve on the security of the region or else they will be held accountable in case of any problems. 

Muleterwa requested the officers to use local village radio stations to engage the public in police activities.