President Yoweri Museveni has reportedly questioned Inspector General of Police Abbas Byakagaba over the rising crime wave in Uganda, particularly in Kampala, amid growing concerns that critical security technologies meant to combat crime are either underutilized or not functioning at all.
Highly placed sources have told Nile Post that during recent security meetings, the President demanded answers on why criminals continue to evade detection despite the government’s heavy investment in the national CCTV surveillance network and the rollout of digital vehicle number plates.
Sources say nearly 80,000 digital vehicle number plates cannot be traced, while numerous CCTV cameras have fallen into disrepair, prompting the President to order a fresh probe into Uganda’s crime-fighting infrastructure.
Questions were also raised about the quality of the plates themselves, with concerns that the white reflective section becomes difficult to read under certain conditions, limiting their usefulness in identifying vehicles linked to criminal activity.
Even more alarming, sources say, is the state of the national CCTV network. A significant number of surveillance cameras are reportedly inoperable due to lack of maintenance, creating blind spots that criminals are exploiting.
The President is understood to have expressed frustration that, despite substantial public investment in security technology, the systems are failing to deliver the expected results.
According to sources familiar with the discussions, Museveni cited several crime incidents that had been brought to his attention and referenced concerns previously highlighted by former Internal Affairs Minister Gen. Kahinda Otafiire regarding alleged negligence within sections of the police force.
The revelations have prompted fresh scrutiny of Uganda’s security architecture and raised a fundamental question from the President: where is the police in the fight against crime?
Nile Post has learned that Museveni subsequently briefed the Chief of Defence Forces, leading to the formation of a special crime review committee to investigate the causes of rising insecurity and identify weaknesses within the country’s security systems.
The committee is chaired by Lt. Col. Sserubiri, the Head of Operations at the Internal Security Organisation (ISO), and comprises representatives from the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), and the Crime Intelligence Directorate, among other security agencies.
Sources say the team has been tasked with examining police operations, intelligence gathering, CCTV functionality, and the effectiveness of the digital vehicle number plate system.
The committee’s findings are expected to inform a broader government response aimed at restoring public confidence in security agencies and reversing the growing crime trend.
For many Ugandans, however, the immediate concern remains the same: why are criminals seemingly staying a step ahead of a security system into which billions of shillings have been invested?