Police have called for vigilance from the public over the escalating criminality ahead of the festive season.
According to ACP Kituuma Rusoke, the Police Spokesman, the festive season is always characterized with various forms of criminality that ranges from house breakings, burglary, robberies, and thefts, among others.
Addressing a news conference at the police headquarters at Naguru, Kampala where he released the festive season guidelines to the public and event organizers, Rusoke noted that they want full public participation in the fight against criminality during the festive season.
Rusoke also warned that all those willing to display fireworks during the celebrations of the New Year should apply for permission from the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
He says that those who display fireworks exceeding five minutes will be stopped and arrested, and places expecting to participate in this exercise should ensure they are supervised by police beforehand.
Meanwhile, Rusoke has also warned that they are to close all musical events which will be organized without clearances from the authorities like Police, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and city authorities.
He also warned against taking flammables and glasses into concert venues, saying that such materials could be used as weapons among the revelers especially when they turn violent.
Meanwhile, Police have reminded the leaders of places of worship and entertainment venues to liaise with the security team to ensure these places are safe and secure from any terrorism threat.
Places of worship like churches and mosques as well as the entertainment places are known for attracting a number of people on Christmas Day and New Year’s celebrations.
Rusoke says that in such seasons of festivities, they tend to receive terrorism threats that are targeting places which attract a number of people like Worship and Entertainment venues among others.
Rusoke also warned that they will detain beyond the stipulated 48 hours all motorists that will be arrested for failure to observe traffic guidelines during the festive season.
Festive season is characterized by much movement of people heading to the villages and in urban centers that attract many vehicles on the road causing traffic congestion.
Rusoke says that given that courts shall be closed, all those arrested will be detained until the end of the whole festive period.
He adds that they won’t allow suspects to take phone calls for help to big people in the country.
Rusoke further says that they have already established snap checks and also deployed at checkpoints on highways and roads to arrest those driving without driving permits, dangerous mechanical condition and vehicles, over speeding drivers among others.
Meanwhile, Police have intensified operations against buses that are operating without the requirements.
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