Kasana Police Station in Luwero town faces eviction for failure to meet rent obligations. The station has been renting space from a commercial building owned by cissy Luwedde, along Kyebutika road in Luwero town since 2003.
Luwero Town Council committed to paying its rent bills amounting to 2.4 million Shillings annually as part of social responsibility and to ensure the safety of all area residents. The area is both a crime hotspot and a busy business centre.
However, Luwero Town Clerk Irene Nakamatte wrote to the landlord on June 7, informing her that the town council will no longer pay rent for the police station, a decision she said was irregular. Nakamatte explained that Uganda Police Force is an independent institution and self-accounting for its operations.
Cissy Luwedde, the landlord told URN that she had no problem with council’s resolution but demanded that they pay 1.2 million Shillings, in arrears accrued from January to date when they terminated the agreement. Luwedde added that she has already notified the Officer in Charge of the Police Station about the termination of the agreement and asked them to find ways to pay for its own rent or vacate the building.
Isah Ssemwogerere the Savannah Regional Police Spokesperson says that Kasana Police Station is located in a busy business centre and the Force would prefer to maintain it there to secure the residents. He adds that the matter will be taken up by the Savannah Regional Police Commander.
“Uganda Police Force is paying rent for several Police stations which are located in buildings which are not ours. We hope Kasana Police Station will also be catered for because we deem it necessary to maintain it there,” Ssemwogerere said.
The Uganda Police Force had mounted a container at the station to host a command centre for the town’s closed-circuit television cameras to monitor the security of the area, which is home to an estimated population of 43,700 people.
In April 2015 the then Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura ordered for closure of Kasana Police post after gangsters attacked it and killed an officer at night. Kayihura explained that the police post was operating in a very dangerous and inadequate space which exposed it to attacks.
But residents staged a protest against the closure and blocked policemen from removing their equipment saying it was crucial in keeping law and order in the town. They also demanded that its elevated to a Police Station, a request which was effected and more Policemen deployed to boost its capacity to respond to crimes in the township.
