Following the ADF attack on the Mpndwe-Lhubiriha Secondary School in Kasese district, the Minister of Security, Maj Gen Jim Muhwezi has camped in Rwenzori Region to meet with different security stakeholders both from Uganda and DRC-Congo.
In his first meeting in Kasese, Minister Muhwezi, emphasized the evolution of insecurity world over. He therefore urged the security officers to enhance proactive measures in order to deal with the challenges of insecurity.
“We must acknowledge that the world has developed and therefore, approach to curb criminality too must change especially by taking advantage of the available technologies,” he said.
He added that in 1987, the biggest threat was protecting the territorial integrity of a nation which has now evolved to several forms of insecurity.
The Minister was accompanied by Col. Charles Oluka, the Director General of the Internal Security Organization (ISO).
Minister Muhwezi highlighted several current threats such as politically motivated crime, terrorism, corruption, vandalism, Cyber security organized crime, espionage, among others.
While quoting playwright Chinua Achebe, the Minister said that since the birds have learnt to fly without perching, the men must learn to shoot without missing.
“The security agencies, working together, will devise a mechanism that tackles the ever-changing face of criminality to address these isolated crimes that cause panic in the country,” he added.
The Director General ISO Col Charles Oluka warned security officers about increased complacency in the intelligence structures.
“Any intelligence officer anywhere in the world must avoid anything that will lead to intelligence failure. As intelligence officers, you can not keep on reporting about incidents instead of reporting intelligence, ” Col. Oluka said.
He added that, the work of an intelligence officer is to detect and curtail criminality before it manifests.
The last engagement was in Fort Portal with security agencies from all the districts of Kabarole, Ntoroko, Kamwenge, Kyegegwa, and Bunyangabu, among others.
The high level security meetings come after the ADF rebel attack on Lubiriha privately owned Secondary School in Mpondwe, Kasese district on Friday night, June 16, 2023 at around 11:30 am, which left over 37 students dead, eight casualties and six abducted. However, three abducted students managed to later escape from ADF while others are being rescued by the UPDF.
So far, over 20 ADF rebels have been arrested while more than four including the middle commander have been killed by Operation Shujaa forces in Virunga National Park, according the UPDF Spokesperson, Col. Del Akiiki.
