Gov't builds new Lyantonde police headquarters

POLICE

LYANTONDE - The Government is constructing a new office block for Lyantonde Police Station.

Construction commenced last month inducing excitement among police officers, district and town council leaders and residents too.

The new offices will occupy a space measuring over 50ftx50ft and the project will be completed within one year (2019).

ASP Richard Asiimwe, the Lyantonde district police commander, explained that the project is in partnership of government and Uganda Police.

He said that the block will be built by engineers under the Uganda Police Directorate of Logistics and Engineering.

ASP Asiimwe explaining about the new structure

 
He added that the new block will contain several offices including that of the DPC, OC station, child and family protection unit, traffic, crime intelligence and records department, among other crucial departments.

Asiimwe further noted that they will have modern cells for both male and female suspects, juvenile facilities and waterborne toilets.
                                      
"The new structure is meant to have good working environment for both police and other clients. Having waterborne toilet facilities means saying bye-bye to buckets," he said.

This will be the first police station in the region to have juvenile facilities for both male and female offenders.

About record keeping, Asiimwe explained that the current storage facilities are too poor to keep sensitive documents especially files and exhibits. "But when the block is completed, all files and exhibits will be stored well. Precisely, they will not get spoilt," he noted.

Like other police stations in the region, Lyantonde has always been challenged on how to keep juveniles since the law does not permit to keep them with adults.

The site engineer Lawrence Asiimwe is sure the structure will be built to a standard given the fact they are building their own structure.

Once completed, he said, the new block will be one of the modern facilities which will contribute to the infrastructural development of the town council.

Background

Lyantonde police has been grappling with lack of toilets and poor working environment for more than five years. The police station has a population of more than 50 officers in different department.

In 2016, a pit latrine filled up forcing officers, their families in a barracks, suspects and other visitors to improvise because the district health authorities had condemned the toilet after it filled up.

Erias Kalasokye, the district health inspector said, the suspects, residents, police officers and suspects' health was at stake since deadly diseases such as cholera and typhoid could break out especially during this rainy season.

At one point, officers threatened to strike because they were facing hard time working without anywhere to ease themselves.
 
As a result, some would run to the town council while others in the neighbourhood and the suspects in a bucket.

In order to address the crisis, Ruth Ngabiire, the then acting DPC, resorted to soliciting funds from the business community and well-wishers in a bid to construct a new toilet.

A copy of the letter dated April 05, 2016 was requesting for a total budget of 3,358,500 shillings to build a latrine.

However, to the process was halted by top authorities who claimed to have a better plan.

The money is for buying building materials such as bricks, cement, nails, timber and iron sheets plus labour. Inside sources said that most of the people have not yet responded to their call.

 
District authorities

The LC5 Chairperson Fred Muhangi applauded the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Uganda police for the new structure saying it will help officers to offer quality services to community members.

He explained that the juvenile facilities will relieve police and parent or accusers of a burden of transporting them to remand homes.

Residents said that after completion, the block will create a good environment for suspects since the cells will contain good toilets and quite enough space for the suspects.