Kiryandongo residents demand police post over rising insecurity

Kiryandongo: Residents of Techwa, Ndoyo and Kibeka parishes in Kiryandongo Sub-county have asked the government to establish a police post at Ndoyo Trading Centre, citing rising insecurity in the area.

The residents say the nearest police post is about 20 to 30 kilometres away, making it difficult for them to access police services and respond to crime.

The concerns were raised during a community outreach organized by Kiryandongo Woman Member of Parliament Jovia Katusiime Mbabazi, who was on her sixth day of monitoring health services in the district.

Kyabanene George, the Techwa Parish chairman, said insecurity has resulted in several deaths and called for the establishment of a police post.

“Techwa needs a police post. People are dying due to insecurity. So far, four people have died, two of them known by the village,” Kyabanene said.

Olinga Niclos, the Ndoyo Village chairman, said the area hosts three companies, including two involved in sugarcane growing and another dealing in soya beans.

He said a police post is needed to protect residents and workers, adding that some workers migrate into the area without proper verification.

Olinga urged companies to work with local authorities to register and verify all their workers.

Wilson Kasonko Tugume, the LC3 chairperson for Kiryandongo Sub-county, also called for improved public services in the area.

He said the sub-county has three Health Centre IIs and asked authorities to consider establishing a Health Centre III.

Residents also described the security situation as worrying.

Annet Gasipa, a resident of Mirima, said criminals sometimes hide in gardens and bushes, while Tom Hawuka, a Techwa resident, said gangs hide in a forest near a health facility, making it difficult for residents to access the facility at night.

Nasimyo Rose, a female councillor from Kibeka Parish, said the distance to the police makes it difficult for residents to seek justice.

She also raised concern about sugarcane trucks using the area’s only major road, saying they sometimes hinder schoolchildren.

Nalwanga Toipista, another resident, said families affected by deaths struggle to access justice because of the long distance to police.

Meanwhile, the Kiryandongo District Police Commander, Ojok Steven, confirmed the security concerns and acknowledged the need for a police post at Ndoyo.

Ojok said Kiryandongo Sub-county is one of the largest in the district and that the government sub-county policing model has not yet been fully established there.

He said police are ready to deploy officers once the sub-county provides land for the police post.

Ojok also warned residents against mob justice, saying local councils can assist police with information and searches but do not have powers to arrest suspects in place of police.

He added that several deaths in the area have been linked to sugarcane haulage.

Kibanda North MP Linos Ngompek emphasized the importance of security and land ownership, urging residents to acquire land titles where possible.

He also raised concerns over difficulties faced by residents in obtaining land titles and promised support to organized women’s groups.

Woman MP Jovia Katusiime Mbabazi urged local leaders to organize community engagements at least every six months to address challenges affecting residents.

She said only Kiroko and Techwa health centres received positive assessments during her monitoring exercise.

Mbabazi also advised smallholder farmers with between one and five acres to consider food crops instead of relying entirely on sugarcane to improve household food security.

She further urged parents to keep their children in school and expressed concern over teenage pregnancies reported at health facilities.

Meanwhile, Kiryandongo Resident District Commissioner Dan Muganga said workers in the area will be registered and regulated to enable authorities to know who is operating in the district and improve security coordination.

Muganga said he will engage contractors working in sugarcane plantations on the registration of workers.

He attributed part of the insecurity challenges in Kiryandongo to the district’s mixed population, including refugees and other migrants.

Residents are now calling for the government to establish the proposed police post at Ndoyo and strengthen security in the wider Kiryandongo Sub-county.

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