Crime Preventers: Many Unanswered questions



As we near the long awaited polling day, security and non-violent processes have been emphasized by all categories of people; the Civil Society, Religious Leaders, Political candidates among others. What is not yet clear is the question of the Crime preventers! Who are they? How many are they? Whose purpose are they for? To whom do they pay allegiance to? What law establishes them? Which budget facilitates them? There are so many unanswred questions about the crime preventers. What is sadly ironical is that the amount of electoral violence escalates daily even with the presence of the crime preventers! We believe in a secure and peaceful society but we also believe in a just and transparent society!

The crime preventers have fallen short of two tests: Their legal establishment and their purpose, I do not think a crime preventer happily dressed in a yellow Museveni T-shirt is intended to protect the community regardless of their political affiliations. As a country, we need to become serious on this issues! We need to know how many crime preventers there are; who is facilitating their work and of what purpose are they created otherwise all our efforts towards a violent free electoral process may be in limbo.

It is good practice that matters of national interest are transparent otherwise, no one will be accountable! The Police Act does not establish any kind of security group such as the crime preventers neither Have I seen any legal instrument to that effect! We desire answers to all these questions from those concerned otherwise, we may be perpetuating illegalities.

As the same authorities ask us to keep the calm during the electoral process with some making threatening messages, they owe us the same duty to properly answer the questions on the crime preventers otherwise we would have done a thankless job of fetching water in a basket with these so called crime preventers!

Let us all stand for peace!


Michael Aboneka Jr

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