By Francis Emorut                           

KAMPALA - The Inspector General of Police Gen. Kale Kayihura has met with top religious leaders in the country to discuss ways of preventing crime in the country.

The police boss held talks with the clerics in a closed-door meeting at the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) headquarters in Kampala.

The Archbishop of Church of Uganda Stanley Ntagali and the Mufti of Uganda Sheik Shaban Mubaje were part of the group.

Joshua Kitakule, the IRCU secretary general who attended the meeting, told New Vision that the IGP emphasized strengthening of relationship with religious leaders as a way of promoting community policing.

In the meeting, he said, Kayihura acknowledged that religious leaders are instrumental in shaping society's behaviour and therefore, will help in the fight against crime.
 

Gen Kayihura talks to the IRCU secretary general of IRCU Joshua Kitakule. (Photo credit: Francis Emorut)

It is also understood the police chief wants to build a strong partnership with IRCU in community policing.

Besides, Kayihura observed that religious leaders have strong structures with at least a mosque and a church in every sub-county.

The Police Force has in the recent past come under attack by public and human rights advocates for the way they’ve handled opposition leaders, especially during rallies.

The security organ now wants to embark on community policing to redeem its image.

Police recently celebrated their 100-year anniversary and rolled out a programe to make the Force pro-people through community policing.

Kitakule said Kayihura wants to take the advantage of the robust structures the religious leaders have across the country to help the police fight crime.

The IRCU is an umbrella of religious leaders from different denominations including Church of Uganda, Roman Catholic Church, Orthodox Church, National Fellowship of Born Again Pentecostal Churches, Uganda Muslim Supreme Council and Born Again Faith headed by Pastor Joseph Serwadda.

Other religious leaders who attended the meeting included the Bishop of Church of Uganda Namirembe Diocese Luwalira Kityo, Msgr Kauta of the Catholic Church, Archbishop of Uganda Orthodox Church Metropolitan Jonah Lwanga.

The retired Archbishop of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Uganda, Dr. John Kakembo, was also there.
 

The relgious leaders who met IGP Gen. Kale Kayihura (right to left) the Archbishop of Uganda Orthodox Church Jonah Lwanga, the retired Archbishop of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Uganda Dr. John Kakembo, the Bishop of  Church  of Uganda Namirembe Diocese Luwalira Kityo, the Archbishop of Church of Uganda Stanley Ntagali and the secretary general of  Inter-Religious Council of Uganda Joshua Kitakule. (Photo credit: Francis Emorut)

 

The Archbishop of Church of Uganda Stanley Ntagali, and Msgr Kauta after meeting the IGP. (Photo credit: Francis Emorut)

 

Here, the archbishop mingles with the police boss after the meeting. (Photo credit: Francis Emorut)