Standard Chartered Bank commonly known as StanChart is in prime position to land US$104m (Shs394.6bn) National Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras loan deal, government has revealed.
Addressing the press at the Uganda Media Centre this morning, the Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Frank Tumwebaze said the money set to be borrowed from the bank will be used to finance the Cameras Network Expansion project.
He broke down how the money will be spent. Part of the money will be used for designing and building the main Command and Control Centre, Mobile Command and Control Centres and Regional Command and Control centers.
The money will also go into the integration of case management systems face recognistion software, DNA and development of data centre with disaster recovery sites, installation of required network infrastructure and training of staff in the operation and maintenance of the system.
Other funds will be used for video surveillance through the installation of CCTV Cameras across the country as well as installation of integrated communication platforms
It should be noted that the procurement of CCTV Cameras followed a directive by President Yoweri Museveni on 17th March 2017, while addressing mourners of the late Assistant Inspector of Police, Felix Kaweesi, where he ordered for installation of cameras across major town in the country, after he was gunned down by unknown assailants around his home in Kulambiro, a Kampala suburb.
Museveni reechoed the same orders following the assassination of Arua Municipality MP, Ibrahim Abiriga, who was gunned down on 8th June 2018. Police had started installing CCTV Cameras around Kampala when assassins struck again, gunning down former Buyende district DPC in cold blood on Saturday evening.
In August 2018, Police confirmed that the 900 CCTV Cameras of the first batch of the 5,552 had been delivered by Chinese based form, Huawei Technologies, a Chinese firm.
According to the information from Police, the cameras will be imported in phases for the two-year project and a National Command Centre will be constructed in Naguru, a Kampala suburb, starting in October.
