'Police ready to counter any terror strike'

By Andrew Ssenyonga       

KAMPALA - “We are in a position to thwart any attack, like the July 11, 2010 terror strike,” the Director Human Resource management under the Police force, Charles Birungi said on Monday.

“We are also in the process of continuously keeping ourselves prepared for any terror strike.”

He made it clear that attacks in the future will have to be countered by using technology and highly-trained men.

Birungi made the remarks during the opening of the post blast counter terrorism investigators and fix training course for the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO) member states at Sports view hotel Kireka, Wakiso district.

“Police has invested intensively in training of staff with the necessary tactics to counter the terrorists.

“We have acquired the equipment that will make our work easier and the sensitization of the public about terror strikes,” he said.

He also mentioned that the police today have the capacity, manpower, and firepower.

Terrorism has continued to prove a serious challenge on the global spectrum, inspiring nations to come out strongly against it.

The twin bomb attack in Kampala three years ago have always been the closest reference to Uganda’s defence against similar potential attacks.

And so through the police and other security organs, the government has since instituted tighter security measures to ensure that no more lives are lost in such fashion.

About 80 people died in the Kyadondo and Kabalagala blasts, and scores others left with life-time physical and psychological scars.

“The government has given us sufficient funds whenever we have asked for it. We have strengthened our [police] force in every aspect,” Birungi said on Monday.

“World-class weapons have been bought and the best trainers in the world have worked with our men.”

But all this while, he did not ignore the fact the technology is a two-way tool – both for terrorism and for counter-terrorism.

 “The enemy too also depends on technology. They can plan any attack with the help of technology. We need to have a 360-degree view to plan and foresee. If terrorists modify their attack, we too would need to change immediately.”

Still, he maintained his confidence in police's level of preparedness for any kind of terror attack.

The three-week training course has attracted participants from 11 member states that include Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

Participants in the training will be equipped with skills and knowledge to carry out post bomb blast investigations.

“Take this opportunity to acquire as much as you can in terms of practical and theoretical knowledge from these experienced trainers, which will help our EAPCCO member states in curbing this [terror] threat,” Birungi told those set to take part.