City Construction Works Disrupt Security Camera Operations – Police

Police have expressed concern that some city construction works have had an impact on the operations of the newly installed security cameras in Kampala city and its suburbs.

This was revealed by spokesperson Fred Enanga in a security briefing on Monday.

Enanga was responding to the recent public debate on fatal accident that was allegedly not captured on CCTV cameras along the Nakawa – Naguru road on 24^th February, 2020 when a People Power supporter was reportedly knocked dead.

According to Enanga, the cameras around the whole section were not working due to disruptions in the fiber optic underground cables, following construction works along the Ntinda – Nakawa-Naguru stretch.

Enanga also attributed other failures to constant power outages in certain policing divisions, as well as the erection of banners/billboards within the corridors of CCTV camera view which grossly impacts on police investigations.

“You are all aware the demand for new services, like the proliferation of internet by telecoms, utility companies like UMEME, National Water and Sewage Corporation, and other users like; KCCA, Uganda National Roads Authority, Local Government activities and Landlords, regularly conduct construction works,” he said

He however revealed that the IGP has tasked the Directorate of ICT to regularly check the CCTV system and ensure every single camera deployed is working.

He also said that police are working closely with city planners responsible for city works, to adopt new technologies for construction that minimize the disruption of typical underground utility construction.

So far, according to Enanga, the CCTV Network in has been fully operational for the last 6 months and largely effective.

The cameras, he said are a smart piece of technology which alerts operators to pre-determined people, registration numbers or incidents; they monitor public areas to detect incidents and to coordinate police responses, facilitate automated images searches, record events for use as evidence and to inform investigations among others.

“We therefore want to get the message out to the public, that where there are no fiber optic disruptions, the CCTV cameras are working at full capacity and are streaming clear images to the monitoring and National Command Centre,” said Enanga

“We would like to add that the traffic investigations unit has taken over investigations into the fatal accident of Ritah Nabukenya, while the shooting incident at Nansana is being investigated by the Regional CID officers at KMP North. Both cases are progressing well,” he added.