Security authorities in Ibanda District have intensified efforts to address rising crime by engaging bar and hotel owners in a coordinated strategy aimed at improving safety in entertainment venues.
The initiative comes amid a growing number of theft cases, particularly involving mobile phones, reportedly carried out by organised gangs targeting patrons in bars and nearby premises. The trend has raised concern among residents and local leaders over public safety in nightlife areas.
Speaking during a security meeting at the district headquarters, Resident District Commissioner Godfrey Mbetegyerize said the engagement was intended to strengthen cooperation between security agencies and business operators.
“This meeting is focused on asking bar and hotel owners to put in place strong security measures to help us combat the increasing cases of crime in Ibanda,” he said.
He noted that entertainment venues have increasingly become hotspots for criminal activity, with perpetrators exploiting crowds and weak surveillance systems to carry out theft.
“We have noted that many of these crimes are happening in and around bars. We need the cooperation of the owners to ensure the safety of their customers and property,” he added.
As part of the new measures, bar and hotel operators have been instructed to register all employees, a step authorities say will improve monitoring and help track suspects more effectively.
Mbetegyerize said proper identification and documentation of staff would enhance accountability and support ongoing security operations in the district.
Bar and hotel owners who attended the meeting welcomed the initiative, saying improved security would help protect customers and restore confidence in nightlife businesses.
The engagement forms part of broader efforts by local authorities to reduce urban and semi-urban crime through community-based policing and private sector collaboration.
