Kidnaps on the rise, here is how to stay safe

On August 28, unidentified men grabbed driver Ronald Kitayimbwa and Nagirinya, a former employee of Community Integrated Development Initiative, an NGO from her gate in Busega Lungujja before their bodies were later found in Mukono.

Nagirinya, according to family had never received any threats, she was only a young girl who had just started a good job and things were beginning t shape out for her.

In a Facebook post from a close friend of Nagirinya’s she wondered how a person without any enemies would be kidnapped only to face the wrath of death! To make matters worse, the killers were reportedly paid only Shs130,000 each!

Our life is only important to us, and may be that of those who benefit emotionally, materially, financially or biologically. Hence it should be our first priority to protect ourselves and our lives.

With kidnaps now on the rise, a few tips to help you keep cautious come in handy;

1. Avoid stickers on your car, that show where you work or any other things that can easily associate you with things closer to you. If you have a prestigious organization for instance, you don’t need to go splashing it. Not everyone is happy you work there, you could be a target for kidnap, because people of course associate some organizations with money. If not, you could be revealing your first address for a potential kidnap
2. Keep kids details off social media: Many parents wan to brag about their children on social media and they will go ahead to take pictures even while in school uniform. Some times these parents do not take precaution to blur school badges. Congratulations, we now know where your child studies.
3. It is not your role to splash money at parties and hangouts: Some of you get so in the financial spirit, that when in public, you want to stat being showy, you hold many notes openly to show those around that you are cousins with money. Do not be that guy who grabs bundles and starts spraying dancers at a hangout. You will have people escorting you while you head home. You want to buy several expensive drinks and splash them on table, someone is counting how much you are worth, while you drink.
4. Avoid moving around with large sums of money: This applies to cash and Mobile Money. Carrying large sums of cash will make you automatically worth the kill. Although having no money on you could also annoy your kidnappers for wasting their time. So make a judgment. Carry that which is actually enough for you and some for emergencies.
5. Delete your mobile money and bank transactions. Some people will know how much you are worth by accessing your phone transactions. In this country where it is hard to keep a phone on you for a few months, always delete trace of your financial transactions. People will follow you just to have a share of your mobile money balance or because you could have a fat ransom on your head. Well, this doesn’t apply to others.
6. Don't go jogging while it's dark, you really should be smarter than that. If you can, get someone trusted as company.
7. Do not wear your ID outside your work premises. Well, no one needs to know where you work.
8. Let your people know where you are: At whichever point, inform someone where you are and who else you are with. This means that in case of kidnap, your people know where to start from. Kidnappers don’t jump out from anywhere, they are always following you and waiting for a perfect time to pounce. Someone can easily track the kidnappers if they knew your journey.
9. As much as you can, don't send kids alone on an errand outside your house, they are soft targets.
10. Don't stay late in your office long after closing hours. That deadline work can be done at home.
11. Mind what you post about yourself on social media. Joshua Nteireho posted about money, how do you know he trailed by people who thought he had it with him?