Government is set to tighten regulations for security guards
The State Minister for Internal Affairs, David Muhoozi has revealed plans by Uganda Police to tighten regulations and monitoring activities of private security companies, by standardising their operations.
“That is a valid concern of private security companies standardising training and standardise inspection and management of arms and it is in the offing. We are going to do that and hope we shall regulate the sector better. On that particular case, Kimosho could help us with better particulars on whether the suspect was arrested,” said Muhoozi.
The Minister made the remarks during the Prime Minister Question Time, in response to a concern raised by Dan Kimosho (Kazo County) who tasked Government to explain if there were plans to manage private security companies.
Kimosho said: “A private guard at a Sacco office shot dead a priest and this private guard was drunk. I want to get it from the Prime Minister and entire Government whether there is a clear strategy on management of security guards in this country?”
His question followed the arrest of Anxious Muhumuza, a private security guard attached to Kitura Cooperative Sacco who is accused of shooting dead Patrick Mutatina, Lay Leader at Nkunga Church of Uganda in Kazo district.
Mutatina’s shooting joins the growing number of people losing their lives to gun violence in Uganda with the 2021 Annual Crime Report by Uganda Police indicating a total of 303 cases reported compared to 249 cases reported in 2020, indicating a 21.6% increase.
However, the prosecution rates is still low with Police highlighting in the same report that of the 303 cases reported, only 58 cases were taken to court and only 4 cases secured a conviction, while 54 cases were still pending. Police also revealed that a total of 199 cases were still under investigation.
The pronouncement to tighten noose on private security companies come at the time in March 2022, Government suspended the operating licences of 9 private security companies and revoked licenses of two other companies for failure to meet the required standards and indiscipline.
According to Police, he two security companies have been involved in a number of robberies, where they directly rob their clients and hire out guns to robbers to commit crimes and declined to abide by the Police requirements for private security companies to file returns for use of firearms, for several years.
In September 2021, Police revoked licences of 40 private security companies for failing to meet the required standards and ordered vetting of the remaining firms. According to police records, there are about 50,000 private guards in the country.
